Committee Meeting - Tue 7 Jan (The Workbox)

The next Chamber Committee meeting takes place at 17.45 on Tuesday 7 January 2014 in The Workbox,  Pz360 (Penlowarth House - 4th floor).  All Committee Meetings are open meetings and members are welcome to attend.

The agenda can be found: here

Prospective new members can attend by invitation - please just email the Secretary for an invitation (secretary@penzancechamber.co.uk).

Click here for full poster

Pop Up Penzance is rolling out Grandfather Frost's Christmas Depot in the Peasgood building (opposite the Davey statue in Penzance Town Centre) starting this Thursday (12th Dec)  11 am to 6 pm daily for four days.  Tickets cost £2 per child, the accompanying adults (2 max) enter free.  Tickets can be booked on line here (recommended given demand) or at the door.  Theatricals are delivered by Mecurial Wrestler.  This is intended to be a magical event for all the family.  

Parking is free in all public car parks from 4 pm on Thursday 12th (and the 19th) for late night Christmas Shopping. Parking is free all day on Saturdays in Penzance public car parks until Christmas (applies to 14th and 21st Dec).

December Committee Meeting 3 Dec 5.45 pm.

The Chamber Committee meeting for December takes place on Tuesday 4 Dec at 5.45 in the The Workbox (fourth floor) Pz360 (Penlowarth House).  Committee meetings are open meetings and members are welcome to attend.  Prospective members are also welcome but should contact the Chairman for an invitation (dick.cliffe@gmail.com).

The agenda is attached here

Falmouth BID renewed for another 5 years

Following a ballot of businesses ending 28 Nov, the Falmouth BID has been renewed for a further 5 year term.  The  ballot turnout was  58%, with 87% of businesses voting in favour.  The vote in favour by rateable value was 86%.  When the BID first kicked off in 2009 the majority was 70%.  Falmouth BID has clearly been delivering what most local businesses want and the levy is seen as offering value for money.

The Penzance BID is under development with a public launch event expected on the 12 Feb 2014 followed by consultations with businesses, preparation of a BID prospectus (a 5 year programme of projects) and finally a ballot at the end of 2014.  

The Penzance BID is being managed by the Penzance BID Steering Group chaired by Marcus Wilkinson (Alfred Smiths). 

BBC Mini-documentary focusses on Penzance

Penzance business reps were put through a Dragon's Den style grilling by Bill Grimsey (of Grimsey Report fame) yesterday as part of a BBC mini-documentary for Inside Out.  The theme was Town Centres and the tone definitely dystopian.  The producer lapped up the The Ritz which was looking especially grim against a grey sky.

Penzance business community was represented by Marcus Wilkinson (Alfred Smiths), Dick Cliffe (Chamber Chairman), Emily Kavanaugh (Pure Nuff Stuff) and Kieth Bell (Travers Bell Architects).  The team established a good report with Bill Grimsey but one can only guess what will survive editing. The other towns in the documentary are Liskeard (Portas winner) and Totnes.

Penzance Promotional Flyer to be available tomorrow.

A flyer promoting what's on in Penzance is at the printers and will be distributed to retail outlets tomorrow (Friday).  A new website (smartphone compatible) has been created to bring together in one place events in Penzance.  The URL is www.pzpresents.info.

Penzance Promotional Xmas Flyer under Development

Having secured free parking on Saturdays (all day) and Thursdays (from 4 pm) in the run up to Christmas, the business community need to promote it along with all of the various events going on in the Town.  Above is the logo.  We expect the flyer to be ready for printing by the end of Wed 27th Nov.  The print run will depend on how helpful supermarkets are prepared to be distributing them.   The flyer will be supported by a website with a similar domain name (site under construction).   More information to follow soon.

Free Parking days agreed for Penzance Xmas Shoppers

Early application of Sainsbury's Section 106 funds to provide Free parking all day on Saturdays and on Thursday evenings in Penzance in the run up to Christmas has been agreed following an initiative by the Chamber, local Cornwall Councillors and Penzance Town Council.

Penzance Sainsburys Superstore opens.

Sainsburys Penzance (CGI image)

The Penzance Sainsburys superstore opened on Wednesday 13 November having been erected in little over 6 months.  The £30+ million investment in Penzance represents a vote of confidence by Sainsburys in Penzance's future as a retail centre.  The new store is the second largest in Cornwall after Truro.  The investment appears to have stimulated interest in Penzance from other stores as Edinburgh Wollen Mills has been advertising for staff to open a store in Penzance and Furniture World has opened up in the old Barn Club premises, adjacent to Tesco's. There have been enquiries from the The Range regarding premises in Long Rock.

Chamber Meeting for 13 Nov 2013 Cancelled

The Chamber meeting scheduled for Wednesday 13 Nov 2013 has been cancelled (no quorum). Apologies for the short notice.  The next scheduled meeting is on the Tue 3 Dec 2013. 

Marine Discovery (Penzance) win 2013 Whale Watch Award in USA

 

 Congratulations to Duncan and Hannah of Marine Discovery, Penzance, for winning the 2013 Responsible Whale Watch Award at the International Whale Watch Conference at Cruiseport, Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA.   The short list included operators Portugal, Australia, Ireland, Tonga, Italy and Madeira.

You can read more about the awards at planetwhale.com here and from the Marine Discovery Facebook site here. 

 

The Chamber Committee Meeting scheduled for Tuesday 12 November has had to be rescheduled for a second time to the following day  - Wednesday 13 Nov  (5.45 pm at the The Wharfside Centre Conference Room - on the top floor near the 'Management Office').

As with all Chamber Committee meetings all members are welcome to attend if they wish to do so.  Prospective members are welcome to attend but should contact the Chairman for an invitation.

 You can download the agenda here.

Dick Cliffe
Chairman

Chamber Committee Meeting postponed until 12 Nov 2013 (5.45 pm)

The Chamber Committee Meeting scheduled in error for Guy Fawkes Night has been postponed one week to Tuesday 12 November (5.45 pm,  The Wharfside Centre Conference Room).

As with all Chamber Committee meetings all members are welcome to attend if they wish to do so.  Prospective members are welcome to attend but should contact the Chairman for an invitation.

The agenda for the meeting will be posted shortly.

Dick Cliffe
Chairman

Businesses invited to opening of new Business Centre (Pz360).

Bill and Sue Radmore, of Mount’s Bay Trading Ltd, are formally opening the old HMRC tax office building reborn as Pz360, a modern business centre, on Thursday 7 Nov 2013 from 3 pm to 6 pm. 

Pop Up Penzance Crowdfunding Appeal!

Pop Up Penzance are seeking to raise £1800 to fund "Grandfather Frost’s Christmas Depot "in Peasgoods (Market Jew St Penzance) this Christmas.  They are using 'crowdfunding' to raise the money through www.crowdfunders.co.uk - a new Newquay-based online business (Crowdcube plc). 

The campaign is one of 20 fundraising campaigns launched today (1 Nov 2013) by crowdfunders.co.uk .  The campaign that raises the largest total on launch day (today 1 Nov 2013) will receive an additional package of support from Crowdfunders.  At 5.00 pm today Pop- Up Penzance was in the lead with £915 raised. 

Members' Meeting 3 Oct - Agenda

The agenda for the Members' Meeting on Thursday 3 Oct in The Workbox (see previous post) can be found here .

Members are encouraged to attend - please let us know if you are coming by emailing secretary@penzancechamber.co.uk .

Businesses that are not Chamber members are welcome to attend by invitation (please email the Secretary at the email address and express an interest).

Chamber Members’ Meeting 3 Oct 2013 (5.45 pm) – The Work Box

There will be a Chamber Members’ Meeting in The Workbox on Thursday 3 Oct at 5.45pm (for 6.00 pm meeting start).  The agenda will include.

*   A briefing on the Penzance Workbox and what if offers small businesses and freelancers. 

  

*   Guest speaker Guy Thomas, Cornwall Council’s Town Centre Management Specialist, speaking on Town Centre issues and related Council initiatives.  

*   A briefing on the timetable for the Penzance Business Improvement District.

*   The Sainsbury’s Section 106 agreement .  What should the priorities for spending be? Click here to read the agreement.   

Note:  Penzance Chamber of Commerce has no control over the spending of Section 106 funds but needs to know its members’ priorities iwhen consulted on the matter).

Penzance Business Improvement District (BID)

Last night the Penzance BID Steering Group met Cornwall Council’s BID Development Officer (Joseyanne Thatcher) for the first time in the Queens Hotel.  Joseyanne briefed the members on BIDs in general and the plan to guide them through the process to create a Penzance  BID.

A Penzance BID has the potential to raise ~£190,000 year for businesses to spend on measures to improve the local  trading environment. The BID has a 5 year life after which businesses can decide to renew it for a further 5 years.

The first item on the agenda was to select a Steering Group Chairman.  Eventaully, succumbing to pressure, Marcus Wilkinson (Alfred Smiths) agreed to fill the post. 
 A relatively cautious BID development timetable was agreed with the ballot of businesses expected at the end of 2014.

Click here for British BID’s concise brief on BIDs.

Click here for Josyanne Thatcher’s presentation to the Pz BID SG 5 Sep 13 (Powerpoint)

DfT annouces £8 Million for Harbour Works

The Department of Transport has issued a press release (here)  confirming that it is contributing £8 million towards harbour improvements for St Mary’s Harbour and Penzance Harbour   Work can go ahead subject to final clearances and the securing of European funding.

The press release said simply that the work involves dredging at Penzance and pier widening and improved freight handling facilities at St Mary’s.  

Penzance Business Improvement District (BID) 'Kick-Off' - 5 Sep 2013

Penzance BID preparations kick off on Thursday 5 Sep in the Queens Hotel (17.45 for 18.00 start).  The Penzance BID Steering Group will meet with Josyanne Thatcher, Cornwall Council’s BID Development Officer for the first time.  Josyanne will be briefing the Steering Group on the BID development process and the timetable for the Penzance BID.
Also on the agenda for Thursday is definition of the Penzance BID boundary – the area within which business ratepayers will be paying the BID levy. 

You can view the BID boundary used to confirm the viability of a Penzance BID here. A 2% levy on business rates in this area raises approximately £185,000/year (both St Austell and Camborne have choosen a 2% levy).
 
The Penzance BID Steering Group (membership here) met for the first time (without Cornwall Council involvement) on 9 July 2013. Meeting notes are available here. 

For a concise explanation of a BID go to ‘British BIDs’ here .

Chamber Committee Meeting - Tuesday 3 Sep 2013

The Chamber Committee Meeting scheduled for 3 September will take place Wharfside Centre Conference Room at 17.45.   The agenda can be found here.

The minutes of the last meeting (2 July 2013) can be found here.

All Chamber Committee Meetings are open to Chamber members to attend if they wish.  The Committee encourages prospective members to attend, please contact the Chairman for an invitation.

The October Committee Meeting will take place on Tuesday 1 October at 17.45.  Venue to be confirmed but likely to be the same venue.

Next Committee Meeting - 3 September 2013

In line with past years there will be no Committee meeting in August.  The September meeting will take place on 3 September  2013 (17.45 hrs), venue to be confirmed. 

Chamber & PDTA Stall at Quay Fair - Visit Us

The PDTA and Chamber shared the cost of a pitch for Mazey Day to promote the Penzance Discovery Map and managed to sell 450 at the promotional price of £1 - we were well pleased with the level of interest which had been lifted by publicity in the Cornishman.   

We have a stall in the Quay Fair located in Coinagehall Street tomorrow (Sunday 30^th) with the same promotion running (maps for £1, no voucher required).   

The Discovery Map has been well received and appears to ‘scratch the itch’ that many residents have which is that Penzance has lots to offer but we don’t encourage people to find out out about it and enjoy it.

Chamber Committee Meetings 4 June 2013 - Agenda

The Committee Meeting scheduled for 4^th June will take place Wharfside Centre Conference Room at 17.45.   The agenda can be found here.

The July Chamber Committee Meetings is planned for 2 July 2013 and is expected to be in the same venue.

All Chamber Committee Meetings are open to Chamber members to attend if they wish.  The Committee encourages prospective members to attend, please contact the Chairman for an invitation.

Thurs 9 May Event - A Postcard to Penzance (The Exchange)

  The Exchange Gallery is hosting a series of events to encourage thinking about Penzance's future.  It kicks off this Thursday 6-8pm. Booking is essential but very simple - follow the link in the text below (taaken from the Exchange website)

This event is open to the public generally.  It is important that businesses, and especially Town Centre businesses, are well represented.

See below for details.

Committee Meeting postponed to 14 May 2013

The Committee Meeting scheduled for 7 May has been postponed until 14 May (17.45 hrs in the Wharfside Centre Conference Room).  This is necessary because the Chairman and several other Committee members are unable to attend.

The Chamber Committee Meeting in June is scheduled for 4th June.

The Committee is looking to hold a Member's Meeting in The Workbox - Penzance's new workhub facility in Penlowarth House (the old HMRC building).  The date of this meeting is dependent upon availability of a guest speaker and the venue.

Agenda can be found here.

IOS Transport Policy - Going Nowhere

Friends of Isles of Scilly Transport are pressing for exploration of a reduced winter ferry service (funded by a subsidy) to alleviate the transport problem of islanders in the winter.  The DfT is saying that there does not appear to be a problem that the private sector cannot fix and the private sector needs to be given time to do so.  The assumption is that all was well with IOS transport until the helicopter service was withdrawn – well it was not which is why the Route Partnership sought to improve matters.  The Penzance Chamber of Commerce Chairman's perspective is given below.

Business breakfast with Grant Shapps MP, Conservative Party Chairman

Members of the Penzance business community met with the Rt Hon. Grant Shapps, MP, Chairman of the Conservative Party, and Derek Thomas, PPC for the St Ives constituency, at a breakfast meeting held at Hotel Penzance yesterday, Friday 12 April.  The event had been sponsored by the owners of the Wharfside Shopping Centre and included representation across the political spectrum.  Amongst the guests were Marcus Wilkinson (Alfred Smiths), Tim Dwelly (The WorkBox – Penlowarth), Rebecca Farrington (Poolside Indulgence,) Robin Turner and  Julian Cardew (Walkers Jewellers.  Read more about the event here.

Penzance was looking its very best from the balcony of the The Bay Restaurant.  It is hard to be a doom-monger for Penzance on a lovely morning like yesterday.  The meeting was constructive with the business community's  concerns well articulated and attentively listen to.  What can and will be done about some of these issues is another matter. 

Chamber Meeting (Election Special) - Update

The Penzance Chamber of Commerce Members’ Meeting on Tue 16^th April in the Queens Hotel, Penzance,  starts at 7.00 pm.  The agenda can be found here.

Following representations from political parties it has been agreed that each party spokesperson plus the 3 independent candidates will speak for 3 minutes each to summarize their manifesto and identify their priorities .  This will be followed by an extended Q&A session where all Cornwall Council candidates will have opportunities to participate.

Spokespersons identified so far:

    Lib Dem:  Ruth Lewarne

    Labour:  Tim Dwelly 

    Conservative:  Michael Rabbitte

    Mebyon Kernow:  Rob Simmons

    Green Party:  Michelle Paine

    Independent:  John Moreland

    Independent:  Jim McKenna
    UKIP:  Stuart Guppy

The meeting is open to all Cornwall Council election candidates, Chamber Members, and Penzance Town Team Reps.  

Other business owners can attend by invitation (email chairman@penzancechamber.co.uk) and will only be refused if the room is full.  

Extract from Penzance Portas Bid (Jun 2012) summarizing vision and opportunities:  click here

 

Chamber Members Meeting "Election Special' on 16 Apr 2013

There is a Chamber Members' Meeting on Tue 16th April at 19.00 hrs in the Queens Hotel, Penzance.  The purpose of the meeting is for Members to meet and hear from candidates in the forthcoming Cornwall Council Elections.

The meeting will start with an update to Chamber Members presented by the Chamber Chairman. This will be followed by  election candidates pitching to local business people.  We envisage that candidates will has about 3 minutes each to address the meeting.  Members will be able to ask questions of candidates after all candidates have spoken. 

Those Chamber members planning to attend should email secretary@penzancechamber.co.uk so that we have an idea of numbers.

Candidates should contact Dick Cliffe, Chamber Chairman directly on 01736 331734 or by email at chairman@penzancechamber.co.uk.

Committee Meetings Agenda for 2 Apr 2013

The Chamber Committee meets tonight at 17.45 hrs in the Wharfside Centre Conference Room (top floor, follow signs for 'Management Office).  The meetings is open for Chamber members to attend and also prospective members should they wish to do so.  The agenda can be found here .   See next post of details of our 'Election Special' Chamber Members Meetings at the Queens Hotel on 16th April.

Kim Conchie, Cornwall Chamber visits Penzance Workhub Premises

Plans for the new workhub on the 4^th floor of the Penlowarth House are moving ahead promptly with the opening due towards the end of April.  Kim Conchie, Chief Executive of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce was given a guided tour of the premises on 12^th Mar accompanied by Tim Dwelly and Janet Ross from ‘The WorkBox’ and Dick Cliffe (Penzance Chamber Chairman).   The meeting was followed by the first meeting of the The Workbox ‘Jobs Panel’ which includes representatives from Truro & Penwith College, Penwith Community Development Trust and the Penzance Chamber. 

People potentially interested in using the facilities should download the brochure here.

Guardian coverage of Penzance

 For those feeling deflated by all the negative press Penzance gets read Tom Dyckhoff's piece in the Guardian Newspaper about "Let's move to Penzance" .  It is a timely reminder of just what Penzance has going for it.  Click here for the article. 

Committee Meeting on Tue 5 Mar at 17.45 - Members welcome

There is a Chamber Committee Meeting in the Wharfside Centre Conference Room (top floor - follow signs for 'Management Office') on Tue 5 March at 17.45.  This is an open meeting and any member is welcome to attend.  Prospective members are welcome to attend by invitation (please just email or telephone the Chairman first).

The meeting agenda can be found here. 

Pz Chamber AGM 19th Feb 2013 - Meeting Agenda

The Chamber’s Annual General Meeting takes place on Tuesday 19 February starting at 6.00 pm.  There will be break at 6.45 prior to our guest speaker, Andrew George MP addressing members at approximately 7.00 pm.

The AGM agenda can be found here.

Any business not a member of the Penzance Chamber of Commerce that wishes to attend should contact the Chairman.

Penzance Work Hub to fill 3rd Floor of old Tax Office

Penzance will have its own 'work hub' providing facilities for professionals, freelancers and start up businesses from April this year.  The new work hub, named the Workbox by Tim Dwelly, the founder of the project, is going to have some of the best views of any work hub facility in the UK because it is on the third floor of the Penlowarth Building (the old Tax Office) adjacent to Morrab Gardens.

Approximately 50% of the £250,000 funding came from the Business Catalyst Fund. The Penzance Chamber of Commerce lobbied the LEP to support this worthwhile project which will provide a supportive enviroment for start businesses and those who have recently become self employed.

Find out more about the Penzance Workbox here (Facebook site)

Penzance to follow St Austell on BID path.

St Austell voted yes to a Business Improvement District by a whopping 75% on 31 January. The Town now joins Truro, Newquay, Falmouth and Camborne as BID towns. Truro is on its second 5 year BID stint having relatively recently voted in favour of renewing it for another 5 years. 

The Chamber Chairman, Dick Cliffe, confirmed with Josyanne Thatcher, BID Development Officer, Cornwall Council, that Penzance is scheduled to start the process in May this year with the startup cost of £20,000 funded out of the Sainsburys Section 106 funds earmarked by Penzance Town Council for this purpose. 

A meeting of the Penzance Town Team will be called in the next couple of week to start the process of setting up a Penzance BID Steering Group. This group will be responsible for developing the proposal that businesses will eventually vote upon. For the BID to be approved over 50% of business must vote for it and the 50% must represent over 50% of the rateable value of the BID businesses. 

See Cornishman online news item dated 6 Feb here.
See the St Austell BID Proposal here (highly informative).

Penzance Chamber AGM - Queens Hotel 19 Feb 2013

The Chamber’s AGM takes place on Tuesday 19 February in the The Queen’s Hotel, Penzance starting at 6.00 pm.   We are please to welcome Andrew George MP as our guest speaker.  The calling notice and draft agenda can be found here.

Any Chamber member who uses email but has not received the calling notice directly should email the Chairman immediately.

Chamber Committee Meeting - Tue 5 Feb at 17.45

There is a Chamber Committee Meeting in the Wharfside Centre Conference Room (top floor - follow signs for 'Management Office'.  This is an open meeting and any member is welcome to attend.  Prospective members are welcome to attend by invitation (please just email or telephone the Chairman first).

The meeting agenda can be found here. 

IOS Council Press Release - Transport Issues

Follow the link below for the Isles of Scilly Council’s press statement today which follows some criticism about its low profile and alleged inactivity during the ongoing winter transport crisis for the Isles of Scilly which had seen even pensioners resorting to to taking a Jet Boat (RIB) to get to the mainland when all air routes have been closed out of Scilly.

The future of IOS transport links is an important issue for Penzance because although the islands are 40 miles away they are an important 'economic suburb' of Penzance with millions of pounds spent in the economy by islanders, island businesses and visitors transiting through Penzance.

Council of the Isles of Scilly Press Statement: here

Other links:  Friends of Isles of Scilly Travel www.frist.org.uk

 

Chamber of Commerce Comment.

The Chamber and FRIST support all of the proposed infrastructure projects (improvements to Penzance and St Mary’s Harbours, improvements to St Mary’s Airport and Lands End Airport. 

The Chamber perspective is that the infrastructure improvements are necessary but not enough to sustain the community and its tourism based economy.  We believe it will be impossible for the Steamship Company to replace the Scillonian without public help and that without a ferry to back up highly weather dependent fixed wing services mass tourism to Scilly will shrink due to high ticket prices and uncertainty over travel.  The vessel is already restricted in the numbers it can carry (432 + crew) and the conditions it can sail in.

Chamber Meeting 8 Jan (17.45)

There is a Chamber Committee Meeting on Tuesday 8 January at 17.45 (earlier than normal) in the Wharfside Centre Conference Room (2nd floor - follow signs to "Management Office").  The meeting is open to all Chamber members to attend if they wish. Prospective members should contact the Chairman if they would like to attend (not normally an issue).

The agenda for the meetings can be found here