Category: Business News

THAME’S MP, John Howell, will be hosting a recession networking event on Thursday, April 16, at 6pm at The Spreadeagle Hotel in Thame. The event will bring together local businesses, local professional advisers and local support organisations such as the Citizens? Advice Bureau, Business Link, the Department for Work and Pensions, local councils and others.

The event is being organised in partnership with Barbara Richardson of The Integrity Network in Henley.

John said: “Our area cannot expect to be recession-proof. In fact, it looks as if much of the South East, including South Oxfordshire, is seeing rising unemployment and will see a slow recovery.
“The recession is likely to hit businesses which have previously had good trading records. Unemployment will hit people who may have no previous experience of claiming benefits or of the consequences of being out of work.
“At a time like this, it?s important to know who to turn for help and advice. Equally, it?s important to know how to avoid difficulties becoming insurmountable problems. Businesses need to know how they can best protect themselves from the worst of the economic climate and how they can fairly prepare their staff if the worst happens. I hope this event will help.”

The event, which is free of charge, will allow businesses to share experiences and speak to those who might be able to help them and avoid problems in these difficult economic times ? all in an informal atmosphere. Professional service firms such as accountants, lawyers and human resource advisors attending are offering to charge significantly reduced rates for any work commissioned at the event.

Any business from South Oxfordshire ? of whatever size ? is welcome to attend. Contact: barbara.richardson@recessionnetworkingevents.co.uk or call 01491-577-748.

Image: courtesy of www.retailmarketingblog.com

STAFF at Brothers hairdressers in Thame, lay down their scissors today and picked up wheel barrows, rakes and rubbish sacks to clear up litter along the Phoenix Trail.

Today’s litter picking was the first in a series of sixth-weekly days out on training days for salon owner, Adam Buckland and his staff, aimed at improving the environment and community spirit in Thame. Adam was inspired to do something about the rubbish along parts of the Phoenix Trail on a recent cycling trip with his young family.

“I feel this gives a really bad impression of Thame to cyclists, joggers and walkers from communities from further along the trail,” said Adam.

Town Councillor, Adam added: “Our team at Brothers are all young, fit, caring people and have loads of energy and enthusiasm and we thought this was a great way to harness these qualities and help the community along the way. Young people sometimes receive a bad image in the press and we hope to improve this.

“Training to be a hairdresser is 50% technical ability and 50% learning to be a listening, responsive and rounded individual and be engaged in the local community. We see this as a great way of giving back something to the people of Thame who have supported us over the years. Our staff are looking forward to the challenges and it gives us a chance to get out from behind our styling chairs and have a great team building day.”

Brothers are inviting ‘challenges’ from any community groups or organisations who need some helping hands, whether its litter picking, painting or gardening etc, and invite the young and the young at heart to join them.

Call 01844 217365 if you have a challenge or would like to get involved and talk to Brothers’ Community Spirit co-ordinator.

MANY initiatives have been launched by the Government to try to support business in these challenging economic times, and so a local business organisation has put together a list to help local business see what’s on offer.

A great many of the various schemes are offered through the local Business Link and so the Oxfordshire Town Chambers Network, working in partnership with Business Link’s Partnership Manager, Philip Wootton, has published a digest of what is on offer on OTCN’s website at:

www.otcn.co.uk

IN this current, difficult economic climate, businesses need all the help they can get to increase sales.

A FREE Sales and Marketing Masterclass is being brought to Thame Barns Centre by Amplia and STW, in association with Business Link, on Wednesday, March 25, between 9.30am and 11.30am.

Book now as places are going fast!

To reserve your place call Jennifer on 01844 215 101 or email jennifer@solve-the-web.co.uk

Do you want to grow your business but are struggling to increase sales?

We can show you how to use the Internet to gain more leads and then turn those leads into clients.
Invest just two hours of your time to beat your competition and grow your market share.

Two of Oxfordshire?s leading business women share with you their knowledge of ‘What your
Customers Buy’ and you will:

? Discover the power of online networking
? Identify which methods you can adopt ? now ? to
gain more enquiries
? Learn how to measure online marketing activity and
why you should!
? Sell what your customers want to buy
? Turn leads and enquiries into revenue
? Increase your sales effectiveness

Should I attend?

Yes, if you are responsible for developing new business.
Typical attendees will be Owner/Managers of a local business who:
? Already dabble with internet marketing but want to
do better
? And/or those who need to increase their sales

So what?

Not only will you walk away with at least three good ideas to put into practise straight away, you will also get the opportunity to network with other local businesses keen to flourish in the current economic climate.

And if that?s not enough, we?re offering you a free one hour follow-on session with each of our experts, giving you the opportunity to address your specific sales and marketing opportunities.

?Great day, thoroughly enjoyed brain bursting with
ideas and enthusiasm.?
Jeremy Procter,
Procter Bros.

?I no longer bother with any other media for advertising as all of my business now comes via my web site.”
Geoff Downhill,
Esprit Engineering

?What a great course. The
training was the most relevant to my role that I have ever experienced.?
Simon Jones,
KP-McVitie?s
Nadine Kazerounian,
Praxis Image Consultants

MANY businesses may be struggling in the current economic situation but some of Thame’s health and beauty practitioners are not content to stand back and do nothing about it so last weekend, March 7 and 8, 17 of them took part in a Healthy Living exhibition, organised jointly by Thame First and The Spread Eagle Hotel, attended by almost 200 visitors over the weekend.

The newly-refurbished Banqueting suite at the Spread Eagle Hotel buzzed as visitors were able to join in a Belly dancing workshop, try out massage, have a go at energising therapies, buy organic toiletries and organic linen or have a free colour therapy consultation. Others took advantage of having their bone density measured with the latest portable equipment or find out about the benefits of yoga.

On the Sunday, Sapphire Moon staged a Fair Trade fashion show, with models of all shapes, sizes and ages revealing the amazing range of Fair Trade clothes now available.

Shop owner, Claire said after the show: “The show was a great success for us at Sapphire Moon. We have had a lot of very positive feedback about the fashion show, mostly about making people realise that fair trade clothing accessable to everyone.
“As a stall holder I was happy with my trade. I met some lovely people, and Andrea of The Spread Eagle who was a great help. Well done to everyone who organised it. I hope we can make it an annual event.”

All the exhibitors donated a prize to a grand raffle held by staff from the Thame Day Centre, to raise funds to widen the range of activities for the elderly and vunerable Day Centre members.

Alison Isherwood, Project Officer for Thame First, said: “The Healthy Living exhibition celebrated both the town and the wonderful businesses that it hosts. The exhibitors were mainly drawn from the town and hinterland villages offering a variety of stalls for everyone attending the event. With a grant from South Oxfordshire District Council we were able to advertise the event both within and outside the town to attract both residents and visitors to the town.

“This will be one of the many events in a calendar of events for the town that will keep residents loyal and encourage visitors to enjoy our picturesque market town.”

Photo: One of the stunning outfits modelled during a Fair Trade fashion show on Sunday. Follow the LINK
to see more pictures of the event.

A THAME shop that recently closed after just over one year of trading, is to re-open.
Trills, in Buttermarket, Thame, closed a month ago, after failing to attract enough customers for its up-market ladies’ shoes and handbags.

A former employee of Trills is to re-open the shop shortly, in the hope that she was able to learn from prospective customers to the shop what they really wanted to buy.

THE next meeting of Thame First (formerly Thame and District Chamber of Commerce, will be on Monday, March 2.
The meeting, which is open to all Thame area businesses, will be at The Spread Eagle Hotel, Cornmarket, Thame, and start at 7pm

THROUGHOUT March, The Dinton Hermit Inn, in the peaceful hamlet of Ford, near Thame, is offering a special offer on two course lunches.
Diners can choose any two courses from the menu for only

THE economy of Thame, like the other market towns in South Oxfordshire, faces an uncertain future.

South Oxfordshire District Council is the body responsible for the future economic development of the market towns and this evening, Thame Town Council will be given a presentation about SODC’s plans for the town.

Suzanne Malcolm, SODC’s Economic Development Manager, and her colleague, Economic Development Officer, Caroline Wood, will give their presentation as part of a full, town council meeting at 6.30pm in the council chamber this evening (24/02).

Two public meetings and various consultations have taken place over the past few months to help inform the district council’s plans for the future economic health of the market towns.

Members of the public are able to attend and observe the meeting.

GREENWICH Leisure Ltd, the company which will run Thame Leisure Centre from April, will sub-contract the day to day running of the leisure centre to its local partner, Nexus Community Leisure. Nexus will also run the other leisure centres in south oxfordshire, formerly run by SOLL Leisure.

As part of their proposal GLL pledged to increase the number of people using the leisure centres, reduce energy usage and CO2 emissions, and introduce a brand new leisure pass scheme.

South Oxfordshire District Council, states: “The deal not only offers an improved service to residents and contributes to a better environment but also provides better value for money.”

The new contract is due to start on April 1, 2009 when the current service with SOLL Leisure comes to an end and will run for five years and five months until 31 August 2014. The council has stated that it expects most if not all of SOLL?s staff to transfer to Nexus and, therefore, does not anticipate any job losses.