THE Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is to bring its annual assembly back to Bournemouth after a five-year gap.

Its annual congress will bring up to 4,000 delegates to the town from June 21-25 next year and pump an estimated £5.6m into the economy.

The union’s congress traditionally attracts front-line politicians, with then prime minister Gordon Brown receiving two standing ovations when the event was last in Bournemouth in 2010. The congress has since been held three times in Liverpool and once in Harrogate.

Brian French, conference and events manager at the RCN said: “It’s great for RCN members that RCN Congress is returning to the south coast after a number of years away. It is always a pleasure to work with the team at the BIC and we look forward to delivering another successful event.”

Pat Coyne, director of venues for BHLive, the trust which runs the BIC, said: “We have been working closely with the organisers to bring the event back to Bournemouth and are delighted RCN will be returning in 2015. With up to 4,000 delegates attending over the Congress period, an estimated £5.6m will be injected into the local economy through business tourism sustaining in the region of 200 local jobs.”