Business Networking Safari - Over 40 Member companies  enjoyed the 18^th Business Networking Safari on Monday, 14th December and our thanks go General Manager, David Morgan of the Holiday Inn Hotel and his staff, who kept everyone well fed as they “hunted” for new business opportunities!

Future Meetings: 

The first meeting in 2010 will be held on Monday, 11th January at Pavilions of Harrogate on the topic of "How to make an exhibition of yourself" with practical hints, products and services to help you make the most of the Yorkshire Business Market and other trade shows.

The following Chamber Members will make presentations:

The 8th February meeting will be on Using Social Internet Networks for Business - the potential benefits of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. Presentations will be given by Rachel Auty of Four Front Marketing; Bob Tait of Mixd and Steve Phillip of Red FM.

Harrogate Chamber Subscriptions for 2010/11 - The President was pleased to announce that membership subscriptions for 2010/11 would remain unchanged, as the Chamber was in a strong financial position.

Promotion Opportunities 2010 - However, fees for the promotional services offered by the Chamber have to be increased due to the significant increase in postage costs and the much higher charge for C4, compared with C5 mailings. Copies of the new Promotion Opportunities information sheet for 2010 were distributed at the meeting - click here to download a copy.

Management Committee Nominations - Past President, Mark Lancaster, is collecting nominations for officers and management group for election at the next AGM in May 2010. Anyone who would like to take a more active role in the way the Chamber is run please contact Mark before the end of January 2010. 
Tel: 01423 813515 or e-mail: mark@colouritin.co.uk

Harrogate Borough Council Economic Strategy - Council officers recently attended two meetings with Harrogate Borough Council and Yorkshire Forward, covering an Economic Update and Forward Economic Strategy. Copies of the presentations can be requested from the Chamber Secretariat.

The Council are keen to involve businesses and partners in consultation on the Economic strategy and would welcome your views on the following key questions:

•  What are the key economic and employment growth sectors of the future?

• How can the district best take advantage of these?

• What are the issues, threats and opportunities for the district’s businesses?

• How far can the district be a leader in the future knowledge economy?

• What skills will mostly be needed by businesses in the future?

• How can we embed recovery from the recession?

• How can we make our economy more resilient against future downturns?

Joint Yorkshire Forward / Harrogate Borough Council  Economic Update Event - The presentations by Harrogate Borough Council Chief Executive, Wallace Sampson and  Nigel Avison at the Economic Update Event on 24th November are available by e-mail on request from the Chamber Secretariat. Further information on economic statistics relating to the region and Harrogate District can be found at:

http://www.harrogate.gov.uk/business  
https://www.nomisweb.co.uk
http://www.statistics.gov.uk
http://stats.berr.gov.uk
http://www.yorkshire-forward.com
http://www.northyorks.gov.uk
http://www.ynypu.org.uk

BBC Radio York invited the Chamber's Chief Executive, Brian Dunsby to give a live interview immediately after the Chancellor's pre-Budget report on 9th December. In response to the interviewer's question, "Did you see anything in what the Chancellor has to say that is going to be positive for businesses in the Harrogate area?"

Brian responded, "Frankly no. We were hoping for some significant benefit and support for small business. Harrogate’s economy is thriving because of the large number of small businesses. We don’t have the larger ones that have suffered badly in other towns, so we should be seeing positive support for small business. What do we get, we get a tax on jobs, increased national insurance."

On the proposed deferral of the increase in corporation tax for small businesses, Brian said, "The dramatic changes we would have liked to have seen is something that would have stimulated employment, stimulate people to take on new staff, reducing the burden of national insurance, reducing the VAT threshold, something radical. All they are doing at the moment is tinkering in my opinion."

Radio York suggested there would not be many smiles on the faces of small business men and women in Harrogate this Christmas as a result of the pre-Budget report. Brian agreed and added that he had hoped the reference to high speed rail might be relevant to Yorkshire, but it wasn't. He stressed the importance of a high speed rail link to Leeds, which the Chancellor appeared to be avoiding.

Leeds City Region was formally constituted at a recent summit meeting of all 11 Councils, together with government officers and the Minister for Yorkshire and The Humber, Rosie Winterton, held in the Harrogate International Centre. A formal agreement was signed giving delegated powers to the Leeds City Region over funding and key regional issues such as Housing, Regeneration, Innovation, Transport and Skills. Leeds City Region is only one of two regions in the UK to be granted pilot status - the other is Manchester.

Ackrill Media Group Business Awards 2009-10 – 31st December 2009 is the last date to enter the Awards for business excellence in our region. Harrogate Chamber is again sponsoring the Best Small Company of the Year category. Members are urged to nominate themselves, or other businesses they know, for the many categories covering all aspects of business.

The glittering black tie Gala Awards Dinner will be held at Harrogate International Centre on Thursday, 25^th March 2010. Members are encouraged to book tickets for the Dinner direct, but indicate if they would like to join the Harrogate Chamber table.

Visit www.harrogatetoday.co.uk and click on the Business Awards icon or click here to find out more.

Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards - The President was pleased to announce the the Chamber Management Group had agreed to sponsor the Harrogate Hospitality and Tourism Awards again in 2010, organised by Destination Harrogate. Simon Cotton said how popular the event had been this year and he confirmed that all sponsors had agreed to continue their support.

Nominations will be invited early in the New Year and the Award Dinner will be held early June.

Harrogate in Bloom - The President also confirmed modest sponsorship of Harrogate in Bloom and he recognised the excellent achievement of the Gold Award for the Best Large Town and also the RHS Award for the Best Parks in England. Awards were also given for Best Decorated Business Premises, which were won by Cedar Court Hotel and DSC Chartered Accountants. More members with business premises in the town centre are encouraged to improve their horticultural image and enter for the Awards next year.

Plans for Majestic Hotel - The owners of the Majestic Hotel are planning to build a new "Lodge Hotel" in their grounds, adjacent to the new HIC Exhibition Halls. Full details are available form the Chamber Secretariat on request.

Asda Plans - Asda have notified the Chamber of their revised plans for building an extended mezzanine level in the store, which will increase the retail floor area by around 1,000 square metres, to enable them to offer a wider range of products.

Harrogate International Centre developments - Following confirmation of funding from Yorkshire Forward and Harrogate Borough Council for two new exhibition halls, HIC are keen to promote their excellent exhibition and conference facilities. Several Chamber officers were invited to their recent networking event in the Queen's Suite.

The Chamber expressed support for the HIC, recognising its excellent facilities from a conference organiser's point of view. However, concern was expressed about the traffic and transport limitations of Harrogate. The consultation is now underway on the proposed improvements to the entrance environment for HIC on Kings Road and we look forward to seeing their revised designs as the initial planning application was rejected by the Council Officers and Planning Committee.

Town Centre Issues - Some members have expressed concern at the impact of the recent Market Stalls in the town centre and anyone who has been affected is asked to notify the Chamber Secretariat.

Likewise, changes in the counter facilities in the Post Office and some of the Banks have caused concern and members' views would be welcome.

Traffic & Transport - Leeds Bradford Airport have launched Project America, aiming to persuade an American Airline to operate direct flights between Leeds Bradford and the East Coast of the USA. Any members with business or personal links to the USA who would like to support the project, are asked to contact the Secretariat.

We are also pleased to note that Ryan Air plan to run many new services from Leeds Bradford next year.

Transdev Harrogate & District Bus Company have produced an excellent new guide to services and map to help people get around Harrogate and Knaresborough by bus. Copies are freely available form the Chamber Secretariat.

Chamber Officers meet North Yorkshire County Council Officers - The President reported on a recent meeting between Chamber Officers and the North Yorkshire County Council Officers responsible for Highways Agency, in view of the impending transfer of responsibility from Harrogate Borough Council to the County Council. The meeting gave some assurances on the issues raised by the Chamber, but we are waiting for evidence of action on the list of traffic black-spots compiled by the Chamber in conjunction with the bus company and taxi associations.

One of the ideas put forward to the County Council was to offer a "Commercial Vehicle Pass" to business users of vehicles in the town centre who are frequently needing to park for short periods to deliver goods or undertake servicing operations. Rather than having to pay into meters or risk being ticketed by the Traffic Wardens, the Chamber has proposed vehicles should have a special disc which permits unlimited parking in designated areas, subject to an annual fee to be agreed. Any businesses who would find such a Pass helpful are asked to contact the Secretariat.