Lichfield & Tamworth Lichfield & Tamworth Chamber Patrons
Contact: Marilyn Castree T: 0845 603 6650
President renews
payment pledge Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber president James Blackman (pictured) has renewed his campaign to persuade businesses to pay their suppliers within 30 days. Mr Blackman said that late
payment was costing the UK economy billions of pounds, and was also the cause of 50,000 businesses going bust each year. He was speaking at the Chamber’s annual
general meeting, which took place at the Cathedral Hotel in Lichfield.
‘If your staff have more money in their back pocket, then retail receives the benefit’
Mr Blackman said that the Chamber had been
actively promoting the ‘pay in 30 days’ campaign during his year in office, and that 40 local businesses had pledged their support. He said: “If you pay your suppliers on time,
you are actually helping the local economy but also assisting your suppliers have a good cash- flow, which means they can pay their suppliers on time. “If you have good cash-flow, you can pay your
staff more, promote yourself more. If your staff have more money in their back pocket, then retail receives the benefit. “By late paying, it costs the economy billions
and it puts an estimated 50,000 businesses under every year.” Mr Blackman’s campaign will be endorsed by
the Chamber during his second year in office, which began at the AGM. During that time, Lesley Walker of Wrekin Products will be continuing in her role as vice-president.
Team Tamworth: the Chamber’s Hilary Cuttell, Lara Day, Laura Burns and Julia Gray
Chamber opens new office in business hub
Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber has taken space at the newly opened Tamworth Enterprise Centre, and will be using the facility to help support local businesses. The centre is the former Philip Dix Centre in
Corporation Street, which has been renamed Philip Dix House and transformed into a business hub, complete with 16 fully serviced offices to rent, three well-appointed meeting rooms for hire, an executive lounge, virtual offices and conference facilities. The centre has already proved popular with
the local business community, with 14 of the 16 units already let.
The presence of the Chamber will also be an
attraction for businesses, not just those in the centre but others operating nearby. Chamber director Chris Plant said: “We have
opened our new local office to ensure that we represent the interests of businesses locally, working with the Tamworth Enterprise Team and both Local Enterprise Partnerships. “Our aim is to support businesses in the
Lichfield and Tamworth area to grow and thrive. This is done by combining practical support with networking opportunities. “We have the skills, contacts and resources
to help businesses in all areas so anyone who needs assistance should make us their first port of call and arrange an appointment to meet one of the team in Tamworth, via
info@lichfield-tamworth-chamber.com” It is hoped the centre will encourage the
creation and growth of small businesses in Tamworth by providing professional facilities with low set-up costs, along with on-site business advice and support from Tamworth Borough Council’s Economic Development and Regeneration team. The centre’s new tenants include a variety of
businesses from sectors such as recruitment, security, care provision, e-learning, research, website development and a trade body. The opening of Tamworth Enterprise Centre
marks the completion of the first stage of the major Enterprise Quarter project to regenerate Tamworth town centre in a £6.1m project led by Tamworth Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council. This project is also helping with the restoration of the nearby Assembly Rooms (see story below).
Assembly Rooms project in grant win
Tamworth Borough Council has been awarded a massive £365,000 grant from Arts Council England to help with the redevelopment of the Grade II listed Tamworth Assembly Rooms. While funding is already in place for the major
building work, the Small Capital Grant award from the Arts Council will help ensure that the new-look theatre’s infrastructure and digital equipment is fitting for a modern, state-of-the- art public entertainment venue. This includes ensuring the building is energy
efficient and sustainable for the future, with reduced running costs and increased environmental performance. Regeneration of the theatre is part of the
wider £6.1m project by Tamworth Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council to
34 CHAMBERLINK September 2017
develop an Enterprise Quarter in the heart of Tamworth town centre. The project has already secured grants from the Single Local Growth Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The renovations are scheduled to start this
year following the completion of extensive structural, archaeological and material surveys which were required before building work could take place at the 128-year-old building. Cllr Steve Claymore, Tamworth Borough
Council’s Cabinet member for Regeneration, said: “While funding is already in place for the major building work, this additional finance is the icing on the cake and will enable us to ensure the new state-of-the-art theatre is accompanied by outstanding infrastructure to serve our community now and in the future.”
Grade II listed: Tamworth Assembly Rooms
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