Category: Business News

THANKS to local company, Chiltern Fencing, working in partnership with Thame Town Council?s maintenance team, the Upper High Street area was cleared of snow to enable the Tuesday market to go ahead this week despite the adverse weather conditions.

Thanks to this partnership working between the council and this local business offering the use of its special Scandinavian snow mover, market traders did not have to miss one of their busiest trading weeks of the year.

Not only could the traders do a roaring trade, but Sky TV and BBC Radio Oxford were able to broadcast live from the market, as they explored how the snow was affecting local businesses and residents ? and as they found, a few little flakes of snow weren?t going to stop Thame from trading!

SKY News is currently (11.30am) coming live from Thame market, where Thame retailer, Yvette Cundy, of Kismet Jewellers, spoke live about the affect of the wintry weather on retailers in smaller towns.

Market traders in town also spoke to Sky TV – and sold them some warm hats to keep out the continuing icy conditions.

Because of the weather, market stalls are down by about one third, but locals and visitors to the town were there, buying their Christmas fruit and veg, hams, sausage meat, sweets and wrapping paper.

Generally local retailers report to having been down in takings on Saturday by around 50%, mostly due to the heavy snowfall at around mid-day, which caused them to close so that staff could get home.

Yvette though, was very up-beat about the prospects of local independents, reporting that her business was up on this point last year, believing that poor delivery prospects for things ordered on-line, and travelling difficulties to big, out-of-town shopping centres, would benefit local retailers.

WATCH Sky TV coming live this morning from Thame.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Business

PHOTO: Yvette Cundy, of Kismet Jewellers, Thame, talks live on Sky TV news this morning.

A leading business network is urging Oxfordshire to shop locally to help the county?s high streets beat the weather.

OTCN (Oxfordshire Trades Chambers Network) has been collecting reports from independent retail and hospitality businesses around the county since the snow fell on Saturday. Some retailers reported takings down between 40 and 80% on Saturday alone. Hotels and restaurants have told OTCN they?ve lost between

The regular meeting date for Thame Business Biscotti is changing and will be the FIRST FRIDAY each month, commencing Friday, January 7, 2011.

The group will continue to meet at The Oxfordshire, and the meeting time remains from 9.30am to 11.30am.

THE Chairman of Thame-based company, CPM, has been selected as an important member of the new Local Enterprise Partnership which is now up and running.

Tony Stratton has joined The Oxfordshire City-Region Enterprise Partnership (Oxon-LEP)as one of 11 Executive Board Champions. Oxfordshire was one of 24 successful bidders recently approved by the Government to establish Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) to promote business growth in UK regions.

Tony, who also heads up Oxford Inspires, told ThameNews.Net: “My aspirations are to see the LEP attract money into the County for the greater good of all and to generally promote Oxfordshire as a great place in which to live, work and learn.”

The Oxfordshire bid centered on its concentration of high-tech businesses and research facilities as well as its academic strength. The initial priorities for the Oxon-LEP were identified to be Business Support, Skills Deficiencies, Inward Investment and Enabling Infrastucture.

Leading the partnership will be Dr Martin Dare-Edwards, UK Country Manager for southern-Oxfordshire based company Infineum, who has officially be confirmed as chairman of the Oxon-LEP, along with two vice-chairmen, Adrian Shooter CBE of Chiltern Railways and Oxfordshire County Council’s deputy leader, David Robertson. A further vice-chairman will be nominated, representing the University of Oxford.

As well as the 11 ‘Champions,’ there will initially be eight ‘Ambassadors’ to make up a wider Oxon-LEP Forum.

Dr Dare-Edwards said: “We have made clear our desire for Oxfordshire to be at the heart of the UK’s future economy, leading the way in science, research and development. We now feel like we’re up and running and in a position to get to work on making that vision a reality.

“In the short-term, this is likely to involve making a small number of targeted bids for Government funding enabling us to take forward specific projects. These will be focused on developing markets and creating high value private-sector jobs in those sectors with greatest economic potential.

“We want to engage with Government in a new way of working in which local needs are taken into account nationally.”

He added: “The role of the board members will be to act as ‘Champions’ for the Oxfordshire region, committing their time, passion, energy and business skills to help the partnership deliver on the top priorities for our region.

“The Ambassadors’ role will be to articulate what Oxfordshire has to offer to a variety of key stakeholders, exerting their influence on the resource providers and decision-takers.”

FOR more information about the Oxon-LEP and the other members, visit: LINK

AMBITIOUS businesses in both Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire have been praised by former world champion swimmer and now successful businessman, Adrian Moorhouse MBE.

Commenting after hosting the launch of Business Link?s dedicated support services for growing businesses in the area, Adrian said: ?It is enormously encouraging for the local economy to see so many businesses in and around Oxfordshire, Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire having such a healthy appetite for sustainable growth,? adding that he believes there are clear signs that optimism is replacing hesitation in key business sectors.

?Seeing a full house at an event focussed entirely on the subject of business growth is, in itself, a very positive development,” he continued. ” But, more importantly, there is clearly a real desire among many businesses to ?get on with it and do something? to move forward and develop their commercial and operational goals. Self-belief and confidence are beginning to replace doubt and navel-gazing. And, judging by the reaction of the business owners and managers at the event, there is real determination to ensure that business growth is achieved on firm foundations and is not just a quick-fix or short-term goal.?

Olympic gold medallist in the blue riband 100-metre breaststroke at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, and World number one for six consecutive years, Adrian Moorhouse MBE is now Managing Director of Lane4, an award-winning performance development consultancy that he co-founded in 1995. Consistent growth and development has seen the company become a

HOTEL chain, Travelodge, based in Thame, has plans to hire 200 extra staff at its six new sites, including people for management roles at its HQ in Aylesbury Road, Thame.

These new posts are on top of jobs already created at 20 other sites opened this year. The company recently bought 52 lodges from pub giant, Mitchells & Butlers.

WALLACES Home Boutique opened on October 23, and proprietors, Diane and John Fleming, have been overwhelmed by the welcome they received from many of the other Thame traders who visited the shop to introduce themselves, making them feel very much at home.

“From day one we have been deeply moved by the generous, friendly feel of Thame,” said John. “We know we have made the right choice for our business.”

Although both have retail experience, Wallaces Home Boutique is the first venture into a retail business of their own for Diane and John, who previously ran a successful haulage business for nine years.

“We had always enjoyed visiting unique gift shops and antique fairs,” explained Diane, “and have a love for beautiful vintage items, so it made sense for our new business to be a vehicle for our passion.”

Diane and John aim to source products which are British designed and manufactured and the range of products varies from cufflinks to furniture, all reflecting Wallaces Home Boutique’s core values of quality and design. A vintage theme runs throughout the product range complemented by stylish, contemporary designs which includes gifts for all occassions, for newborns through to grandparents.

“We hope that everyone will be able to enjoy visiting us and find items to inspire, be it for themselves, a loved one or their home,” concluded Diane.

FACING the challenges of reduced spending on the high street and the attraction of out-of-town shopping centres, Thame’s independent retailers are looking for imaginative ways to help keep the Thame ‘pound’ within the town.

Thame First, the economy working group of the 21st Century Thame Partnership, have been working hard to come up with imaginative ways to help support the retail vibrancy of this market town.

Working with Market Town Co-ordinator, Alison Isherwood, they are rallying the local retailers to join them next Wednesday, November 24, at 6pm, in Thame town hall to share some of their ideas.

21st Century Thame have secured funding from the SEEDA Small Market Towns fund matched by both South Oxfordshire District Council and Thame Town Council to spend on projects to enhance the town’s vitality, including shopping maps in all the main car parks.

For more information, contact: Alison Isherwood, Market Town Co-ordinator, via:
alison.isherwood@southoxon.gov.uk
Mobile:07717 224984

PHOTO: Last year’s Mayor of Thame, Jeannette Matelot Green, officially ‘launches’ the first shopping map outside Waitrose in Thame, back in 2009.

BUSINESSES in southern Oxfordshire are being invited to join in the great skills debate at Science Vale UK?s next Business Breakfast. The breakfast, which takes place at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus on 26 November, will look at the skills issues highlighted by research as important to SVUK businesses, and provide an opportunity to debate what could be done to make sure these issues don?t become a problem in the future.

At the session, those taking part will get the chance to:

look at the findings from a recent Oxfordshire wide skills survey and consider the skills issues affecting Oxfordshire,
look at the issues that are affecting the science and innovation communities,
debate emerging policies on apprenticeships and training, and hear from training providers,
take part in a question and answer session with skills experts.

The breakfast will feature guest speaker Wendy Tillsley, from the Oxfordshire Innovation and Growth Team, who will discuss examples of good practice in training that have been used by Williams F1.

Steve Moss (Science Vale UK Project Director), said: ?The breakfast will give business representatives in the area an important chance to get together, explore the skills issues that they are facing, and work together to come up with ideas to stop these issues becoming problems.?

The Science Vale UK Business Breakfast takes place on 26 November between 8am and 10am at STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, OX11 0QX.

If you are interested in taking part please complete the online application form at: www.sciencevale.com/events or contact the Vale?s Economic Development Officer Trudy Godfrey on 01235 540346.