Hello Edward ,
Bath Chamber news,
information and events for GWE Business West Chambers of
Commerce members.
BOOK NOW for the
Bath Breakfast - Friday 5th February
Join
us for breakfast networking, with guest speaker Simon
Pullen, General Manager SouthGate Bath, who will talk
about the newly launched Southgate Shopping Centre. Click here to book
online.
What am I bid ?
Success in hitting a range of targets means that just
over £2m additional money will be coming into Bath and
North East Somerset over the next couple of years. It
will be available, among other things, for projects
aimed at improving the local economy. Members with ideas
of what the Chamber should be bidding for should contact
info@bathchamber.co.uk
Business
Improvement District: Work will begin shortly
on a wide consultation exercise about creating a BID in
the centre of Bath. The idea is that businesses pay an
additional levy on their rates and the income generated
goes towards improvements which benefit them. We will
keep you informed of developments.
Growing the
talent pool: There is growing enthusiasm for a
programme of activity to encourage more talented young
people to stay to live and work in B&NES after they
graduate. The Chamber and Initiative will be working
closely on the project. In particular we are keen to
hear from any members who would be willing to offer work
experience placements or have other ideas about how we
could make a difference and improve the local economy in
the future.
Olympics:
The emphasis is now moving away from the Olympic
Delivery Authority (ODA), which is responsible for
building the infrastructure, to the
London Organising
Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG). Very shortly we
are expecting to see a tranche of new contract offers.
All information is available at www.competefor.com where any business
can register.
On the buses:
A number of contracts for bus
services supported by Bath and North East Somerset are
due to expire in August/September 2010. In advance of
inviting tenders for replacement services, the Council
would like to hear views about things like timetabling,
routing and frequency on the following three services:
20A/C, the Bath Circular: 665 service providing local
journeys in Keynsham and Saltford: 768 service linking
Hinton Blewett, Clutton and Farrington Gurney to Bath
via Paulton, Midsomer Norton, Radstock, and Timsbury.
All responses by Friday February 25th to Richard_smith@bathnes.gov.uk
Chef v
Chef: The fifth annual cooking competition,
supported by the Chamber, will be taking place at the
City of Bath College on February 17th. As
usual the cream of the area’s culinary talent will be
battling it out over the hot plates in contests for
juniors, under 23’s and over 23’s. If you would like to
attend the awards ceremony or look in at any time during
the day, please contact info@bathchamber.co.uk
Sustainable
Communities: Work has now been completed on a
Sustainable Community Strategy for Bath and North East
Somerset. It sets out what kind of place the district
will become by 2026. Leaflets are available from all
Council buildings.
Prize on
offer: The Chairman of Bath & North East
Somerset Council is looking for nominations for his
Business Awards. In particular he’s looking for
companies which help create a sustainable community. The
Theme for the Chairman's year in office is: “Grow Your
Own Food and Know Your Local Heritage” and he would
particularly welcome nominations linked to this. The
deadline is Friday February 19th. More
details from sara_dixon@bathnes.gov.uk
Loos
Talk: There’s no time to lose if you want to
have your say on the vexed question of public
convenience provision in the area. A consultation
exercise is running until February 5th. More
details from www.bathnes.gov.uk and under the ‘Of
Interest’ link click ‘Public Convenience Provision –
Consultation’. Or contact Council Connect on 01225
39 40 41 or email councilconnect@bathnes.gov.uk.
Budget:
The Chamber has been involved in consultations with the
Council over next year’s budget. In particular stress
was laid on the need for continuing support for
businesses recovering from the economic downturn and for
spending on additional activity to promote the area as
an attractive destination for
shoppers.
Purple Flag flies high over
Bath: The City is officially offering a
positive experience to night time visitors and users –
that’s the verdict of a team of national inspectors
judging which cities are awarded the Purple Flag, the
new ‘gold standard’ that recognises great entertainment
and hospitality areas at night. Bath is one of just five
pathfinder cities awarded the status which aims to
follow in the footsteps of Blue Flags for beaches and
Green Flags for parks
The Business Show Bath - 14th
April, 9.00am to 4.00pm at The Assembly Rooms,
Bath
Following its successful forerunner in
2008, The Business Show Bath returns to the Assembly
Rooms, starting with a business breakfast with keynote
speaker. The event will showcase up to 70 businesses and
include new features such as a Creative & ICT Zones
and a Meet the Buyer area. Also exhibiting at the show
will be procurement teams from public sector
organisations across the region. The show will also
feature a seminar programme, free speed networking
sessions and a conference café, sponsored by Thermae
Bath Spa. Main sponsors include Bath Chamber of
Commerce, UKTI, EEN, and is supported by Bath &
North East Somerset Council. Priority goes to Bath-based
businesses on stand bookings. To register your interest,
visit www.businessshowbath.co.uk
