Released On 5th Mar 2018

President’s Heartbeat - w/c 5th March 2018

The lingering (and damaging) perception of Yeovil as somehow stuck in the 1980s, down-at-heel and dominated by engineering jobs, is being swept aside.  The perception of Yeovil is changing; heads are turning and investment is arriving.  Rapid growth in a Yeovil high-tech/aerospace ‘hub’, is attracting a different skillset and driving much-needed change in our visitor attractions, and employment opportunity.

Our town centre is now the place for people to meet, socialise, and to live and work, and Yeovil’s retailers are being joined by the ‘new kids on the block’, offering leisure, hospitality, food & drink, and other social and commercial attractions.  Town & District Council and Chamber have joined forces, and out of this has arisen the Love Yeovil brand, delivering attractions and drawing more visitors into town.  The Yeovil Refresh plans driven by the District Council, and shaped by key stakeholders and Chamber, will create and enhance the town centre space, light and ambience, to see Yeovil as: ”Your Somerset town centre of choice.” 

To see how far we’ve come along the road to making all this a reality, wind the clock back just five years.  All we had then was a bad hangover from the 80s, and a wish list.  Joined-up thinking, a visionary local authority, investment from central government and the private sector, and a hungry, motivated business community, are creating prosperity and employment.  All of this is set to put Yeovil once again on the map as the go-to South-West regional destination town of choice to live and work.  To anyone thinking about coming to Yeovil to set up shop, one of Chamber’s town centre member businesses told me this week: “If what you have to offer isn’t here yet, come to Yeovil, and make it happen!”

If you have any issues, questions, or ideas, please contact me on 07900-491211 or president@yeovilchamber.org