THE cancellation of a major racing event will come as a heavy but inevitable blow to the north Wales economy, a business leader has said.

Earlier this year Deeside Business Forum (DBF) chairman Askar Sheibani welcomed news that Wales Rally GB was to return to the area this Autumn after moving away to Llandudno last year.

Following the announcement that the event has now been cancelled due to covid-19, Mr Sheibani told the Leader: "They really had no choice, with all the gatherings there would have been.

"It is very unfortunate and will be a big blow for north Wales, but it was inevitable and we knew that.

"We were going to have our DBF north Wales exhibition around similar time but we have had to cancel that.

"Many big events have been cancelled because we don't know what is going to be happening in several months time.

"We have to be cautious in the future."

Mr Sheibani, managing director and CEO of Comtek Network Systems, also shared his view of how he thinks businesses across the region may change the way they work as restrictions are gradually lifted.

He said: "One thing businesses have had to get better at is meeting visually more effectively.

"They have had no choice and this has brought certain benefits - not only economic, but environmentally.

"People haven't needed to use their cars so they aren't spending a lot of time travelling, which also reduces the costs for companies on energy and space.

"Some companies are now thinking of reducing their office space because they know that to have people working from home is a very economically viable solution.

"Of course not all workers can do that; engineers building wings can't work from home for example.

"But there are many professions like finance, accounting and creative industries which can quite easily be done from home if it is suitable.

"The problem with this is that in certain areas of Wales, we don't have effective broadband and digital connectivity.

"Hopefully now we have realised the demand for that infrastructure, we will see more investment."

Mr Sheibani suggested if the UK does see a big drop in the amount of office space being bought and rented due to more people working from home, such spaces could be turned into apartments.