General Business Meeting
1st September 2015
North Lakes Hotel – 6pm
Present:
Amyn Fazal – President
Heidi Marshall – Vice President
Richard Utting – Penrith Partnership
Heather Walker – Eden Arts
Jo Bramley Wright – Eden Arts
Glen Clifford – Armstrong Watson
Apologies: Kate Cunningham, Fiona Askins, Yvonne Burrows, Emily Bond.
Minutes of last meeting held August 4th signed as a true and accurate record.
Sub Group Updates:
Professional :
First social has now taken place.
Ambassadors :
*Regularly being used for distribution of materials/publications.
*Shortage of Ambassadors in the Burrowgate area (Heather may be interested in assisting
with this)
*Susan Stirling will cover Ullswater Business Park ASAP.
*Richard Utting happy to drop information into the various ambassadors for distribution.
Totally Locally:
*Alan reading is currently working on the Marmalade Festival, ensuring a greater
partnership between Penrith town, Dalemain & Rheged. Making next year’s bigger and
better.
Accommodation:
*Fully booked over the next few weeks, TOB increased booking numbers.
*Accommodation listed on the Winter Droving website.
President’s Report:
Financial position is good.
Currently working with BID to merge the websites. General feeling that BID is starting to have a
greater impact.
WiFi coming into Penrith, at first did cause some negativity, more positive now implemented. Signs
to be placed to advertise the free WiFi. Some initial problems with logging on in certain areas (by the
clock) have been reported so far.
56 shops have currently joined the Penrith Pound scheme.
Castlegate project still very much underway.
Quarterly meeting between EDC and Chamber discussed the devolution to the town. Town clerks
are very keen to move things forward. Robin asked Amyn to discuss the empty shops. Robin made a
suggestion of whether to offer discounts to existing shops to move into New Squares. General
consensus was that it would kill other areas of the town and not a good idea.
Ullswater Business park have interest for it to extend into junction 41.
Dan Thompson - consultancy, artist, pop up shops.
C-Art due to start.
Tourism facilities - suggestion of moving the Tourist Information centre closer to the town. Agreed
could be beneficial.
Eden has a good events calendar, they are being paid so could be fgood to use to market Penrith's
Festivals.
Artisan market - venue still an issue. Possibilities are Great Dockray or St Andrews. Road closures are
an issue in Great Dockray. Market to be named 'Gifted Eden' and to be held on the 3rd Saturday of
every month. First one planned for 16th April 2016 to include, food, crafts and arts. Plan to link the
existing festivals into the market.
Tour of Britain imminent (10th September).
Winter Droving to take place this year. Event proving to be very popular.
Main sponsor AST Signs. One more Lantern sponsorship available for the sheep priced at £500. Can
also sponsor the stages round the town.
After Party to be held at the Leisure Centre, 3 bands are booked to play, ticketed event. 400 needed
for event to break even. Possibility of buses.
Business window dressing, special offers, shops to be hubs selling masks and programmes etc.
Theme for shop window displays currently being discussed with Alan Reading to get engagement
with Totally Locally.
Details are about to go to print, so any business wishing to be included in the adverts need to act
fast.
Teams are still needed for the Drovers cup.
A bigger fun fair with more performers lined up.
Any other business: None to report.
Signed
Amyn Fazal
President