City centre businesses came together to celebrate the non-stop summer of sport at the latest HullBID networking event.

With expert input from speakers within the local business community, guests were given insight into some of the legal issues surrounding the world of sport, and the changing face of life post-retirement for some former stars of Hull City.

Kathryn Shillito, HullBID City Centre Manager, said: “With such a packed programme of summer sport it was easy to find a theme for our latest networking event, and another capacity crowd underlined the level of demand.

“Hull is a great sporting city and HullBID and the local business community have strong links with our sports clubs. We wanted to reflect that, and we even came up with some classic sporting catering, with the latest creations from Hull Pie!”

Richard Parnell, Managing Partner of event sponsors Bridge McFarland Solicitors, is developing his expertise in sports law and told the audience at the BBC Open Centre how legal issues can range from gaining recognition for sports bodies and protecting intellectual property to employment matters and the safety of participants at all levels of sport.

But his presentation focused on the Tour de France and in particular the history of doping.

Richard, who is a trustee and non-executive director of Lincolnshire Sport, said: “Cycling is largely clean now, but not completely. Testing procedures are getting better but some riders will always try and push things to the next level.”

A football discussion led by BBC Radio Humberside presenter and Hull City commentator David Burns gave guests the opportunity to compare the careers of Ken Wagstaff and Ian Ashbee after hanging up their boots.

Voted Player of the Century by Tigers fans, “Waggy” played for Hull City between 1964 and 1975, making more than 400 appearances and scoring 197 goals. He later went into business running the Marlborough Club in Hessle.

“Ash” played for Hull City between 2002 and 2011 and has the distinction of captaining one team through all four divisions of the English leagues. He now works for Ian Blowers Jewellers of Savile Street, Hull, and told how his network of contacts opens the gates to Premier League training grounds across the country.

He said: “It is tough working in business. You are mollycoddled as a footballer. Everything is done for you and then all of a sudden that just stops and you have to fend for yourself.

“But this is a good industry for me. I’m interested in watches and I went on a training course to learn about the diamond side of the business. So we deal in high-end products and my links with top players and coaches enables me to visit them at the training grounds of Manchester United, Manchester City and others.”

Admission to HullBID Networking events is free of charge, subject to availability, and the next one will take place in the big top at the Freedom Festival on Friday 5 September. For details visit www.hullbid.co.uk

Picture details: Kathryn Shillito with (from left) Ken Wagstaff, Richard Parnell, Ian Ashbee and David Burns.