I’m pleased to say our Chamber network is flourishing. For those of you who have attended a Bristol Chamber Networking breakfast recently you’ll know they are fun, buzzing events.
With close to 100 people, both Chamber members and prospective members alike are coming together to connect, network and promote their businesses. It’s a fabulous community that brings numerous, mutual and positive outcomes for local businesses.
We also encourage members to travel around the West and remember when you joined the Business West Chambers of Commerce, you became members of 4 Chambers: Bristol, Bath, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire so please do attend breakfast, evening and other chamber events across the West to extend your local network and knowledge.
As usual, we’ve been busy engaging with our local businesses, new investors, government and MPs in Bristol and much further afield. You can read about our new Chamber Online service where we have just joined forces with Greater Manchester and London Chambers to help our members connect, do more business and get more value - see article below. I also urge you to take part in the Chamber Awards – not only might you have a chance of winning, but it’s a great way to promote your business.
Recently we have been working hard to help secure government investment in a new £5m 5G test bed in Bristol and Bath. This is a sustainable tourism pilot with exciting plans for digital communications to help enhance our thriving visitor economy. So, for example using AI or VR we can bring ancient tourist spots such as the Roman Baths to life with richer experiences. Nor far ahead this improving digital connectivity will impact on other business here too – so whether you are only using the internet to down or upload a minimal number of pictures and content or you are involved in high value research/applications – 5G and other advances will greatly improve access to digital connectivity across the region. We’ll be letting you know how this goes!
Looking internationally we held a round-table last week with Heathrow Airport to discuss their expansion plans and improving connectivity for Bristol and the West via a much needed Western rail hub. This will all be important post Brexit to improve our global connectivity for trade, services and investment for Bristol and this region. We also recently met earlier this week with potential Chinese investors to Bristol.
Coming up next week we are looking forward to helping host a visit to Bristol of the Indian High Commissioner and discussing the major opportunities on offer for business, trade and investment with this huge market. The following week will be celebrating the exciting affiliation between the HMS Prince of Wales and the City of Bristol (which alongside her sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth is the largest warship this nation has ever built) as she moves forward from build into active service and travels the globe. With a very diverse, fast growing city, workforce and business community we also have an event coming up in May, hosted by Clarke Wilmott on ‘Increasing your business engagement in the West of England Combined Authority’ with keynote speaker, Tim Bowles, West of England Mayor and working with the Engine Shed, St Paul’s Carnival and Charity ’91 Ways’ to promote help diversity and economic growth across our city.
As always please do let me know if you have any comments or feedback.
Regards
James
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