Spalding urged to back Chamber plans
TRADERS in Spalding gave their backing for a new Chamber of Commerce - but now need a surge of support to make it a success.
At the last ever Town Centre Partnership meeting on Monday, attended by about 50 traders, the vast majority of the businesses agreed with plans put forward for a new chamber.
Spalding still has an existing chamber which has fallen from the spotlight due to a lack of support - but traders want to embrace a positive outlook and build for the future with a new group.
This comes after traders voted against a Business Improvement District (BID) last year - and the aim now is to get 75 members to kick-start the process.
Steve Shephard, of Robert Goddard's, was elected as interim chairman and Jason Rooke, from Rooke's Pet Products, is vice-chairman.
They will be assisted by volunteers - including Pete Williams of the Punchbowl who issued a rallying call.
He said: "75 is the minimum - we want to get a lot more than that.
"Talk to the butcher and the barber - let's make this a big talking point and get everybody on board. If every person here finds two more people to sign up then we are cooking."
Spalding Area Chamber of Commerce will initially be associate members - tapping into the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce's expertise, particularly to try to bid for big funding streams.
Benefits should include traders offering each other discounts, a strong united voice, a paid administrator to act for traders and a platform to meet council chiefs to air their views and offer input into policy.
Bruce Alexander, chairman of the old chamber, said the ideas had been put to traders before but that a lack of support put paid to progress.
Several traders said they thought there was a new mood in the town following the BID debate.
Entrepreneur Matt Clark said: "There is a real force trying to push the town forward. We are going to stagnate unless we do something - if we don't do this where are we going to go but down?"
l There will be an AGM for new members at Broad Street Business Centre in April and people can ask for forms to register support from Rooke's, Robert Goddards or the Punchbowl.
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Weather for Spalding
Thursday 09 February 2012
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