The President's View - April

Released On 19th May 2016

On 24th May, another step will be taken towards engaging with the town centre retail & leisure sector.  At a proposed informal get-together at Beales Café & Restaurant, Chamber will invite town centre traders to come along and tell us what they want from the town Authorities and how a body such as Yeovil Chamber can best serve their interests.  There are many business people in the town centre who need to know that it can trust a body such as Yeovil Chamber to deliver in their favour.

I regularly meet with senior officials of SSDC, who often ask me what the town centre wants.  I tell SSDC that to deliver progress, the town centre business community must pull together collectively and tell bodies such as SSDC what they want – to drive their proposition without waiting around for something to happen, and it is this belief that delivered the 24th May get-together.  The town centre has evolved into areas with distinct characteristics, such as Princes Street, South Western Terrace and Ninesprings Country Park.  These areas require funding and stimulus to further develop their respective identities, which then need to complement each other for the greater good of this fine town.

The retail & leisure sector faces stiff competition from internet trading and other regional towns; Chamber is opposed to large out-of-town retail centres, and will endorse any objection by SSDC to such developments.  Additionally; high business rates are a factor which can deter new businesses from setting up in the town centre.  Also; and for the record, I personally have no time for hidden agendas, driven by self-interest.  They are divisive and counter-productive to progress and prosperity, and have no place in any town.  If people are honest, open and inclusive, good things can happen.

Chamber along with local government and other stakeholders, deliver regular footfall initiatives and events, with a long-term aim of making Yeovil a ‘destination town’.  The bigger the single voice, the more likely people are to listen - Chamber is already providing that big voice.  All we need now is for people to come together.

As an effective body which aims to support all businesses, Chamber is on the ground locally, run by and consisting of member businesses, who offer a large diverse range of discounted services and products for other members.  Chamber membership starts at £53 per year.  And crucially; the Chamber range of discounted services are offered by local businesses, which helps to oil the local economy.

To further empower Chamber and the local business community, our May Executive meeting will be entirely given over to a briefing by senior officials from Somerset County Council Highways, regarding the recent spate of disruptive road closures, from which the town is still reeling.  I am hopeful these briefings will become a regular fixture, and will allow Chamber and the local business community to be more informed, prepared for, and adequately consulted about the extent and timings of road closures arising from major road work projects.

Thank you for reading this edition of our e.news - please forward it on to a colleague.  If you have any issues you would like Chamber to know about, or take up on your behalf, please email or call me.