Today is the first day of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) annual conference in Belfast, the first time in 32 years that the event has been held in the northern Irish city.

Individual business improvement will be highlighted at the event, with case studies from successful entrepreneurs presented for attendees' inspiration.

The programme - which is sponsored by the Co-Operative Bank - will feature such personalities as the shadow chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne, small business minister Margaret Hodge and broadcaster Gloria Hunniford.

A new part of this year's conference is a panel which imitates the BBC television programme Dragons' Den. Participants can propose ideas to a group of experts and gauge their reaction.

Paul Davies, FSB national relationship manager at the Co-operative Bank, said: "This is now our fourth year of sponsoring the conference and we are always proud to be so closely involved with an organisation as important as the FSB."

The bank said it is currently marketing its services to the small business market.