Chamber of Commerce

Minutes of Meeting of Hungerford Chamber of Commerce Thursday, September 2 nd 2005 at TheTutti-Pole

Present: Nick Furr, Anne Brown, Annie Griffiths, Alex Brittain, Ian Thompson, Bill Acworth, Chris Dodd, Rachel Furr, Jackie Penny

From Universal Press: Ian Colclough, Geoff Adams

Apologies Sandra Smith, Greg Furr

Chair’s Opening Remarks

 The membership of the Chamber is now 95: our target should be a membership of 200 which is approximately 50% of the businesses in the area.

The newsletter was well received – we will aim to do this quarterly. The cost of printing was £450 for 600 prints, Newbury Building Society kindly covered the enveloping and postage this time.

Membership Subscription

 After discussion it was agreed that we increase the annual membership subscription to £45.

Renewal of membership is due in January – new members joining between now and the end of 2005 will be asked for a subscription of £45 which will cover membership until the end of 2006.

Town Plan

 Chris Dodd explained that the draft of the town plan was on the web site and in circulation. Comments were welcome and the dead line for this had been extended to the following Tuesday 6 th September.

Local Advertising

 Ian Colclough outlined detail of a loyalty card scheme designed to encourage people to shop locally. This had been promoted successfully by their sister paper in Australia. It would involve a series of full-page adverts featuring an editorial, coupons with adverts around the edge. Different editions would feature different business groups – Gifts, Domestic, Retail, Dining. In this scheme customers who spent £20 in 5 shops would gain entry to a lottery with the opportunity of winning £500. There would need to be stickers in shop windows indicating that that business was participating in the scheme.

Some concern was expressed about the suitability of the scheme for particular businesses and the legal controls on lotteries. However it was agreed that the Chamber Retail group should consider the idea further. Ian and Geoff, who were thanked for their time attending, would refine their ideas and consult with the Retail Group.

Web Site

It was agreed we need to advertise more events on the Web Site and a Town Diary – we need to liaise with Chain who do provide a quarterly town diary.

The Proposed Map

A rtwork is well advanced and it is hoped that this will be finished for initial presentation and discussion at the October Meeting. It will be funded by the Chamber from its own funds and also, we hope, by grants from 2010+ initiative and/or the Hidden Britain/Tourist initiative. It is proposed to identify all businesses who are members of the Chamber.

Newsletter

We are hoping to have our next newsletter ready at the end of November.

We need features on new members such as Benchmark and Little Hidden Farm.

Quotes and Quirky Stories are required to make the publication inviting.

The newsletter needs to address the question of what the Chamber can do for you – the Chamber member. There was a request that we e-mail ideas around about this! It needs to be upbeat and positive!

AOB

We need to lobby the council about Street Cleaning and particularly the continued pigeon mess and public toilets.

We need to do more to get people attending meetings. How? Suggestions please.

Request that the Chamber look at Individual businesses – 10-15 minute presentations

Should retailers consider Late Night Opening, perhaps a one off or once a month? Responses please.

The Victorian Extravaganza is scheduled by tradition for 9 th December. Plans are progressing! A request for sponsorship will be sent to all businesses in the area

Next meeting

Thursday October 6th

6.30pm for 7pm start

at Littlecote House