Each week, our mayor writes a brief diary about his previous week. This is available for you to view here in PDF format
Diary Notes (7.4Kb)
Chamber of Trade
The Chamber of Trade was established over 40 years ago to offer help and support
to businesses in the town and outlying areas.
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Practically every type of business is represented; construction, heavy industry,
transport, IT and horticulture are there alongside retailers, food services and
hoteliers. Sole traders to nationally recognised companies all benefit from,
and contribute to the vitality of the organisation.
Whilst members enjoy the varied social activites, raising thousands of pounds
for local charities, the Chamber’s primary function is to represent members’ interests
locally.
Regular dialogue takes place with our local MP, County Council, Harrogate and
Boroughbridge Town Councils to ensure that the viability of local trade is sustained.
Yorkshire Tourist Board and Harrogate International Centre are in regular contact,
and other local Chambers are all keen to learn just what makes Boroughbridge so
dynamic and successful. The Chamber has played a key role by, for example, campaigning
successfully for free parking in the town centre, funding the town’s Visitor Information
Centre and lobbying against unsuitable planning developments.
Boasting the highest percentage levels of occupied commercial property in the
District, the Chamber can point to the fact that Boroughbridge is a great place
to be in business!
President Of Boroughbridge Chamber of Trade
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The current President of the Chamber is Stephen Craggs, Director of Boroughbridge-based
electrical retailers G Craggs Ltd.
Stephen has been a committee member since 1987 and served as President 12 years
ago.
“Boroughbridge is much improved as a retail location and we’ve also seen dozens
of new service and distribution companies base themselves here because of our
excellent location just 30 minutes from Leeds, Teeside and York.
“The town centre can boast free parking and we have any number of specialist
shops that are so hard to find in other towns. The Chamber has played its part
and one of my objectives will be to ensure that prime retail sites are ring-fenced
instead of being turned over to office use as has happened elsewhere.
“In my term of office the Chamber will be rolling out new initiatives and we’ll
be encouraging more communication between members. I am fortunate to have a hard-working
committee of colleagues working on the memberships’ behalf and we look forward
to welcoming more new businesses into our organisation.”
Two new faces recently elected on to the committee are Mike Goslin of Boroughbridge
Hardware and Keith Trott of Presence Fine Art Ltd.
If any local businesses would like to become members of the Chamber, please contact
the Secretary, Boroughbridge Chamber, Richard Wilson, Langthorpe, Boroughbridge,
York, YO51 9BY.
Telephone: 01423 322654
Email: bbchamber@tiscali.co.uk