A NEW president has taken the helm at Clevedon Chamber, hoping to encourage businesses to work better together for the benefit of the whole town.

Paul Anslow, owner of Triangle Telecom, was handed the reigns from outgoing president of 10 years, David Hendey, at a recent celebratory ball.

This year the chamber is celebrating its 75th anniversary, which was marked with the black-tie event at the Walton Park Hotel.

The event, sponsored by LDPA Credit Insurance and Triangle Telecom, re-sulted in more than £1,600 being raised for Children’s Hospice South West.

Here, the Times finds out a bit more about Paul’s aspirations for the future of the chamber and business in Clevedon as a whole:

Q: Why did you become president?

A: I am motivated by seeing positive change in action, and felt that as president, I can really make a difference. I believe that Clevedon has a huge amount to offer, it is a unique town, full of history. I believe we just need to shout louder than we have in the past. We have an enthusiastic committee, and we all believe that with the support of the members, the chamber can make a significant contribution to the town.

Q: What changes or improvements do you want to make to the chamber?

A: We have a clear set of objectives, focussing on collaboration. My intention is to build stronger relationships with a number of key organisations, to offer more to our members. We are creating a varied calendar of events, and will be doing more to directly promote the businesses that are members of the chamber. We also aim to support local schools with their own business projects, including mock interviews and young enterprise schemes.

Q: What can businesses/business people get out of being a chamber member?

A: More than anything we want to provide members with a place to share ideas. We feel very strongly that businesses can benefit from the experience of others, and see our calendar as a central focus, including training, social and networking events.

Q: What do you think should or needs to be done to boost trade in Clevedon?

A: We need to understand the key challenges for businesses in the area, addressing these directly. I believe our first step is to bring businesses together in a more informal way, to share ideas, and more importantly, solutions.

Q: Why do you think businesses should move to or invest in Clevedon?

A: Firstly Clevedon is a great location for businesses serving customers in Somerset and Bristol, but also, Clevedon offers so much more for staff wanting to work in a friendly town, full of a rich mixture of small independent stores and well-known names.

? For more details about Clevedon Chamber visit www.clevedonchamber.co.uk