Rye & District Chamber of Commerce

There was no formal meeting in December.

Instead a very successful evening was held in the Ypres Inn – thanks to Ian and his staff for a vey enjoyable evening and a cracking start to the Christmas festivities.

A return to the normal agenda this month, with the following items raised:

• Rye Marketing Group Open Day – Tuesday 22 November 2010 – Chamber to host one stall
• Rye Bay Scallop week announced 12th to 20th February 2011
• new government intiatives under LEP were being announced
• Rye Guide had successfully been launched
• new Visit Rye website was being launched
• Christmas Festival plans now finalised and last minute funding support had been successfully achieved from Tesco and Sainsburys ensures that all planned festivities and lights will go ahead
• Radio Scheme successfully relaunched
• News of the new Pub Watch scheme also announced
• Cardboard Recycling is very successful, but people are now operating outside the agreed parameters – agreed that participants would be reminded of the rules
• Initiatives for 2011 announced

The normal agenda was put to one side this month…

We were delighted that representatives of Tesco and Sainsburys were able to join us.

Everyone knows the story so far of the long running saga of the proposed second supemarket on the Lower School Site.  However, no-one could have written the recent chapter whereby Sainsburys owns most of the land necessary to build the supermarket on the proposed site, but Tesco owns the vital bit that gives the necessary access to the site.

However, apparently it is quite common, which actually makes sense when you think about it.  Tesco and Sainsburys are both very keen to be in Rye, and are equally keen to be in other parts of the country where they currently have no presence.

Tesco revealed plans for their 17,000 square feet store, similar in size to the Tenterden store, whereas Sainsburys is bigger at 20,000 square feet.  Further development of store facilities would be limited due to the location and the site’s neighbours – the Rye College, houses and the railway line.

Both Tesco and Sainsburys are keen to get going in Rye and promise employment and support in the local community.

We await the conclusion of their land negotiations.

Presentations were given by:

• Chrissy Stower on the future activities of The Rye Partnership, which included how The Chamber and The Rye Partnership, together with other local bodies, need to engage with the new government initiatives including the newly formed Local Economic Partnerships (LEPs). 
• Roger Crouch on the plans for the Rye Food Festival in October and the Christmas Festival in December.  The Rye Scallop Festival is scheduled for February 2011.
• Mike Eve on the plans for the Further Education Centre in Rye and the newly established Fletchers Group who have alternative plans for the site to further promote the arts within Rye by having a bespoke theatre and cinema.

Other news:

• Tesco / Sainsbury – Chamber to invite both parties to a meeting to establish what is happening and the timeframe for the new store
• Rye Partnership to hold members’ meeting and meetings with individuals in the Town to decide future initiatives.  Chamber asked to actively participate.
• Derick Holman has established the beginnings of a new Chamber Marketing Group to focus on marketing for traders in Rye, and to work alongside The Rye Marketing Group and HOTCATs.
• Carpark Refund Scheme to be reviewed and resurrected.
• Radio Scheme meeting planned for interested traders and Police.
• Rye Marketing Group holding a Marketing Forum Day at River Haven on 23 November – Chamber to take stall.
• Chamber to forge links with Tenterden Chamber and Tenterden Improve, and see if there are business interest groups west to Hastings and East to Folketsone – this may be very helpful for working the LEP.

The Chamber is to host its 2010 Annual General Meeting at The George in Rye on Wednesday 16 June 2010 at 6.00pm.

Following the formalities of the AGM, there will be three presentations, as follows:

Rye Police Officers will inform members of 2010 targets for the police in Rye, together with an opportunity for the audience to put questions to the Police.

Roger Crouch has recently been appointed the Events Co-ordinator for Rye.  In particular, Roger will be responsible for co-ordinating the Rye Food Festival in October, the Christmas Festival in December and the Scallop Festival in February next year.  Whilst new to the position, Roger is keen to meet people interested in the festivals and any new ideas.

Robin Gordon of London Ashford Airport and LyddAir will be making a presentation on current developments at Lydd Airport.  He will happily take questions.

Whilst the meeting is not a Public Meeting, non-Chamber members are welcome to join us to find out more of the Chamber’s activities and what is going on in your Town and District.

The Rye & District Chamber of Commerce hosted a public meeting on Wednesday 7th April 2010 at the George in Rye Hotel, High Street.

The meeting was deliberately held after the Town Council Public Meeting.  It was hoped that the Chamber Meeting would develop certain matters raised at the Town Open Meeting.

The Chamber meeting concentrated on four key areas within the Town:

• The relocation of the Rye library to the old “Woolworths” site and the impact this would have on our High Street.
• The future of the old library site.
• The relocation of the FE Centre activities and the future of the old FE Centre.
• The future of the retail area within Rye, including discussion of the type of shops needed to ensure Rye is able to deliver the needs of its residents and visitors. This included a discussion of Sunday trading activity within Rye.

Members and non-members of the Chamber were invited, including residents of Rye to join the meeting to put their views.

Neil Cunliffe, Chairman was joined by Stephen Jempson of Jempsons / Budgens,  Keith Glazier of East Sussex County Council and Rye Partnership, David Russel of Rye Town Council and Rother District Council.

In addition, various members of Rye Town Council were at the meeting and took and posed questions.  Councillors included Sam Souster, Ian Potter, Paul Osborne, Lorna Hall and Mary Smith.

Some interesting points were raised at the meeting which will be put forward once they have been tabled at the next Chamber meeting on Wednesday 21 April 2010.