Hello Mark,

Bath Chamber news, information and events for GWE Business West Chambers of Commerce members.

Bath Western Riverside
The Executive Director wrote to the Council to re-iterate the support of the business community for a project that will bring new office space plus houses to accommodate staff. The latest planning application was unanimously supported by the Development Control Committee and we look forward to seeing progress.

Bath Press Site
We can soon expect to see a planning application to turn the currently inactive site into a multi-use area which will include a Tesco store, modern office space plus new housing. There may be some traffic issues to be dealt with, but the developers are confident this will not significantly add to congestion whilst it will be a further positive signal that things are happening in the City.

Green Park Hotel
A slightly revised application has been submitted, but only reducing the number of beds from 200 to 190. The Chamber has maintained its previous position which is that we believe the site is too small for the scale of development proposed.

Business Improvement District
The Board of Future Bath Plus has agreed to continue with the process which will lead to a ballot on whether or not to create a BID in Bath City Centre. Early indications are that there will be sufficient support to make it happen. The proposition is that businesses with a rateable value above £15k within the area would pay an additional levy of 1% on top of their rates. That will equate to something like £150 for a small business, £500 for a medium sized and £2k for a large company.

Bath Transportation Package
We now know that the Public Inquiry relating to the Compulsory Purchase Orders has been deferred until after the Government’s Public Spending Review, due to be announced on October 20^th. There is a real risk that Government may have a perception that our area is not as needy as elsewhere and therefore capital investment may not be forthcoming. It will be doubly important that we continue to make the case about the importance of things like the Bath Transportation Package.

Parking Charges on the up
The Council is proposing to increase fees for parking in Bath. The Chamber has made it clear that we believe any rise will be bad for business but we accept there is a need to raise revenue. We have argued for two main points, first that longer stay visitors who are so vital to the local economy, should be protected as much as possible and second that investment should be made to make it easier to pay for parking. Both have been taken on board by the Council and therefore the Executive Director was in a position to support the proposal on behalf of the Chamber.

Closure of Pulteney Bridge
The Chamber has maintained its stance of warning of potential congestion in North Parade as a result of the proposal to close off Pulteney Bridge to the buses and taxis which currently cross it. The Council has said it will monitor the position closely. Our anxiety about the scheme to stop vehicles from turning right into Dorchester Street from Manvers Street has been recognised. Officers have now agreed to pause before implementing this idea until they fully understand the effects of the Pulteney Bridge closure.

The Business Show Bristol 2010
This leading business-to-business exhibition and networking event will be held on 15th September at Leigh Court, just a few minutes from junction 19 off the M5.

Delegates can look forward to a dynamic seminar programme, including keynote speaker Ruby Wax, confirmed to speak at 1pm on 'Leadership through Communication', plus a broad showcase of 100 exhibitors from a range of business sectors, free speed networking sessions and a conference café for networking, refreshment and one to one meetings. For more details on booking a stand or to register to attend visit www.businessshowbristol.co.uk

Fare enough
First Bus have appointed Sue Arrowsmith as their new Commercial Business Manager. She will be happy to discuss deals you may be able to offer your staff such as the CommuterCard. Tel: 0788.411.6442 or email sue.arrowsmith@firstgroup.com

They came, they saw, they spent
VisitBath have announced that the 4 million visitors to its website have made a million requests for brochures and generated almost £6m for the accommodation sector in the City. More information at www.visitbath.co.uk

Milsom Place
A new programme of events, including a list of restaurants and retail stores is now available. More details at www.milsomplace.co.uk

Jam Busting June on the move
This year’s event will take place in September. Information is available at www.jambusting.com

Event Success at Mogers Solicitors
The recent Bath Mixer held in the Queen Square offices of Mogers Solicitors was attended by around forty members, including a number of new faces. A raffle held on behalf of the RUH NICU Appeal raised £39 and the amount was matched by local entrepreneur Andrew Brownsword raising a total of £78 for the charity.

Helping out
Attendees at the Annual Dinner generously donated £650 for last year’s Chamber charity, the Wiltshire Air Ambulance. This year, President Brigid Musselwhite, has decided to support the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit appeal at the Royal United Hospital.