NARBERTH CHAMBER OF TRADE
Established 31st May 1922
Committee meeting 18th August 2014 Angel Hotel 5.0 pm.
Present:
David Norcross (Chair); Andrew Rees (Vice Chair); Julie Aitcherson (Secretary);
Gordon Barry (Minute Sec); Steven Jones; John Williams (Treasurer); Andy Adamson
Apologies.
Michael Hughes; Sally White; Ian Gravell; Wendy Meredith.
Minutes of previous full meeting (21st July 2014) were acknowledged as the true record of events.
Matters Arising from Minutes
Treasurers report.
.
There is still the outstanding £1,370 donation for the Christmas lights and the promised £1000 for the Narberth Swimming pool fund to come out.
Full audit is underway.
PLANNING Proposals.
Development of the old CP School
Following the release of information on the proposed design and plans for the old school (http://www.ejhales.co.uk/property.1360.htm )
Several issues identified:
· Parking provided –it is not enough to support the staff of the development, the residential units and customers.
· Disabled access to the Sainsbury store
· Space for deliveries to the development retail units – space is very limited for deliveries particularly if large national companies take them up; more likely to send an HGV to deliver. This could mean large trucks parking on the road beside Town Moor, making crossing difficult (particularly for parents / children accessing the play area and grassed area), obstructing traffic.
A meeting should be requested with the developers.
ACTION: Secretary to organise
The Chamber write to PCC Planning with a request that the PLANED plan for an all-encompassing social / Health / library / commercial office and units / accommodation be further explored before the final agreement with the developer is signed.
ACTION: Minute Secretary
At the request of No 47 and Sixthehighstreet a banner was designed on the Chambers behalf. This promoted the Independent nature of Narberth town centre and rejected another Supermarket coming. Suggested that posters for shop windows be obtained.
Narberth Food festival
It is understood that following the completion of this year’s Food Festival that parking in the ‘playground’ will cease.
Alternative parking provisions.
Use of the ‘new’ CP School playground during school holidays to be further clarified. The feasibility of requesting that current long term parkers – Narberth employers and employees to use this Free facility thus allowing our visitors and customers to use the paid car park to be encouraged.
ACTION: To be progresses more fully when the Moor ‘playground’ is removed.
Additional Parking on the Town Moor
Apart from minor adjustment to free-up a couple of additional parking spaces there is little like hood of any progress in obtaining permanent access to any of the existing built on areas of the Town Moor For clarity that means The Bus Stop, The Shed and the Scout/Guide building and fenced area in the lower part of the Town Moor.
Swimming Pool
To help with the fight to save our pool the Chamber will pledge £1000 to the campaign. It was felt that a publicity photo should go to the press to encourage others to do likewise.
So far £60,000 has been pledged to date
ACTION: Chair and Treasurer
Publicity initiatives
Chamber Website. www.narberthchamber.com
ACTION: Members comments and suggestions ARE WELCOMED
Any items of news for the Blog to Sec please as this will also raise its Google ranking for both our and your website’s visability.
BRC-KPMG RETAIL SALES MONITOR JULY 2014: HOME CATEGORIES BOUNCE BACK IN JULY -
UK retail sales were down 0.3% on a like-for-like basis from July 2013, when they had increased 2.2% on the preceding year. On a total basis, sales were up 1.3%, against a 3.9% rise in July 2013. The three-month average total sales growth, 1.3%, is below the twelve-month average of 2.3%.
Furniture was the best performing category, reporting its highest growth since January, excluding Easter distortions. Meanwhile, Food was the worst performing category and experienced its deepest three-month average decline since our records began in December 2008.Over the last three months, Food showed a decline of 1.4%, in contrast with the growth of 0.4% experienced over the last twelve months. Non-Food reported growth of 3.4% over the three months to July 2014, in line with its twelve-month average of 3.8%.Online sales of non-food products in the UK grew 14.9% in July versus a year earlier. The Non-Food online penetration rate was 16.7% in July, 1.4 percentage point higher than in July 2013
BRC-NIELSEN SHOP PRICE INDEX JULY 2014 - SHOP PRICES DEFLATIONARY FOR 15TH CONSECUTIVE MONTHS
Overall shop prices reported deflation for the fifteenth consecutive month, accelerating to 1.9% in July. This is the deepest level of deflation since the series began in December 2006. Food inflation fell to 0.3% in July – the lowest ever recorded. Non-food reported deceleration in deflation of 3.3% in June from 3.4% in June.
Christmas lights.
Publicity photo for inclusion in the Observer taken.
Correspondence
A.O.B.
Good advert for Narberth in the travel section of The Times 18th July. Please see
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/life/property/article4150100.ece
Sadly they continue to get the Rate relief fact wrong.
Also Saturdays Daily Telegraph had a piece in the Property section entitled “Britain’s 20 friendliest places to live”
Narberth was Number 6 and the ONLY one in Wales!!!
Plum Vanilla also had a honourable mention in the Guardian. Well done.
Notes for the Diary
IronMan Sunday Sept 14th
The organisers promise more support with bells, bouncy castles Etc this year.
Radio Pembrokeshire to tell the rest of Pembrokeshire that Narberth is open for business, with free access from the North and West.
ACTION: Andrew to keep Chamber up to date with support required. Also to organise Radio Pembs interview (Welsh speaker etc –Ian??)
PCC to be requested for Free Parking that Sunday.
NEXT MEETING:
15th September 2014
5:00 o’clock Angel Hotel
Future meeting dates for your diary.
THE THIRD MONDAY OF THE MONTH
15th September
20th October
17th November
15th December
Please be there
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Gordon Barry Chamber Secretary. Page 2 24/08/2014
Please remember that the Narberth Chamber of Trade is acting on your behalf and your voice needs to be heard.
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W.G. Gordon Barry Chamber Secretary. Page 5 24/08/2014