Lorraine Harrison :: Chairman :: Newquay Chamber of Commerce & Tourism

November 2006

Wed 8th Nov

I am pleased to report that last week’s presentations by Maurice Roberts of the Cornwall Fire Brigade on the new fire safety legislation and by Mike Quest of Quest Environmental Solutions at Sandy Lodge Hotel on “Legionella” were a huge success with a fairly good cross section attending. The two subjects went hand in glove together and it was apparent that many of the checks and services offered by both the Fire Brigade and Quest Environmental Solutions were similar and equally important.

Everybody is aware of how important it is to have the correct fire preventative measures in place and most people ensure that this is the case. However, practically nobody had any notion of how vitally important environmental checks are to ensure that any equipment that delivers water, whether it be via your domestic shower or even via the rarely used hose pipe in your garden, is safe.

It has been decided that, for various reasons, the AGM of the Newquay Chamber of Commerce & Tourism should be delayed until the beginning of February and, whilst it would have been preferable to hold it sooner rather than later, we are aiming to have Maurice Roberts and Mike Quest, if they are available, to do follow up surgeries, together with presentations by VisitBritain on NQAS standards and by Kim Harris of the TIC on START. Obviously, all of these things are to be arranged so nothing is yet set in stone. Rest assured that our aim is to have plenty of interesting items and news for the AGM and the later date will enable us to ensure that this is the case.

It should be noted that Quest Environmental Solutions has recently quoted a hotel chain in the town for its services and, being one of the companies offering the 10% discount to NCCT members, has made a £300.00 reduction on the cost of the work to be carried out by them. This is just the kind of interaction and service that the NCCT is able to bring to members of the Newquay Trade Association. So, if you are still asking the question, “what do I get out of membership”, this is just one excellent example if, of course, you wish to avail yourself of it.

Another two companies that are members of the new Buying Group are Quaytech IT Services and Ocean Internet Solutions, whose work is apparent for those of you that have looked through the NCCT website. I am also confident that Phil Bunt of Cornwall-Photos.Com will be posting details of his Company on the website very soon and, with Christmas just around the corner, will be able to offer just the kind of service other members will wish to utilise at functions to be held over the Christmas and New Year period — also available for weddings and barmitzvahs!!!

I am taking the trouble to mention specific companies because this is just the beginning of what could be a huge and tremendously beneficial part of membership of the NCCT. The advertising on this website is, for the time being, FREE. If you are a member, you can advertise to your heart’s content to every other member and, sooner or later, you will glean benefits. The more businesses that advertise on the website, the more people will be attracted to it; the more people that are attracted to it the more businesses will join and the rest, you might say, is fairly obvious (well it should be “academic”, but that didn’t go).

Our End of Season Dinner and Dance is to be held on Friday 10 November and, at the time of writing this, whilst I’m pulling my hair out and having a nervous breakdown worrying whether it will go well, etc., I am really looking forward to it. It has been really hard work getting everything together and there have been times when trying to stir up some interest has been like pulling teeth. My main regret is the lack of support from the membership.

As a part of the launch of the Website, we included a “Questionnaire”/forms/view/4 which asked members what they wanted from their Trade Association Website. We offered two free tickets for a member that would be selected at random from those that took part. I am sad to say that only three members bothered to complete the Questionnaire but extremely glad to report that Brian Biscard of the Cheviot Holiday Apartments was the recipient of the two free tickets. Well done Brian. I’m looking forward to meeting you on Friday the 10th and I hope you have a fantastic time.

We have been incredibly fortunate to have been donated prizes for the raffle and the star prize is a TomTom Satellite Navigation System. A list of the prize donors will be posted on the website and I would like to say a huge thank you to each and every one of them. Their support has enabled us to do a fantastic raffle which, in turn, will enable us to raise the funds we need to continue doing the extremely important work we do on behalf of the businesses of Newquay throughout the coming year.

It’s not too late to buy your tickets for the dinner and dance and, who knows, you may just win the TomTom!!!

Finally, as is the tradition of the Trade Association, I and Andy Weir (as invaluable acting Vice Chairman) have the honour of marching, on behalf of the Newquay Chamber of Commerce & Tourism, in the Remembrance Day Parade on Sunday 12 November. I sincerely hope that you will all, in your own way, take the time to remember those men and women that made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live in peace in this beautiful town and in this great country.

Have a great month and, if you’re there, see you on Friday 10th November.

Lorraine Harrison
Chairman
Newquay Chamber of Commerce & Tourism