The history and future of Melksham Chamber of Commerce
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2010-05-25 08:31:35 - Graham Ellis
The Melksham Chamber of Commerce was one the founding 6 members of the Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce, which has now grown to 17 members and shares offices, staff, intelligence, training facilities, marketing and more across Wiltshire and a somewhat beyond. You can find old reference to "The Chamber"'s archive documents at the National Archives - Melksham Chamber of Commerce Meccari Programme 30 years ago, for examples.
In 1992, Leekes Store opened on the outskirts of Melksham (Leekes History - Link), and this caused great controversy in the town. The Chamber of Commerce supported the new business, but the town's traders were strongly opposed, fearing that it would suck business from the town centre. They set up the Melksham Trader's association to look after their interests, splitting The Chamber.
Although the Trader's association appears to have been quite short lived (I can find no references on line), memories are long, and the Chamber has remained quite weak in terms of town centre representation for (now) 18 years. Lisa and I moved to Melksham at the tail end of 1999, and became actively involved in the town from 2000 onwards - and it was natural for us to join The Chamber. From 2006 onwards, with a hotel in the town, it became all the more appropriate for us to be more deeply involved, and we're now both on the executive committee, and I have been elected at President.
It was very sad, going around the town at the tail end of last year and talking to long established businesses about "The Chamber". We should all be working together for Melksham - making it a destination that people want to visit, a town that people want to trade in, somewhere that people want to live ... alas, I was challenged in several places along the lines of "you represent the Chamber of Commerce, do you? I'm surprised that you dare show your face ....". What made it so sad? That nearly 20 years on, people were still looking back, and are still so mistrustful.
The Chamber's AGM was held ... last week ... at Well House Manor. And as part of the evening, we heard about plans to open a new stretch of about 3 miles of canal from the Kennet and Avon at Semington into the River Avon below Challymead (the bypass) bridge. See [here]. A navigable waterway through the town, a new 'cut' up the old line of the Wilts and Berks ... and we'll become part of a canal ring which will revitalize the river front - look at the river Thames towns or Bradford-on-Avon as examples of the benefits this can bring.
In July, the Chamber will be visiting the new Melksham Oak Community School - brand new, and with places for 1400 pupils. It replaces the near-life-expired George Ward, currently with around 1000 pupils, and will provide education for young people growing up in the new housing being built by Bloor Homes and others to the East of the town. These new homes will give significant extra "footfall" in the town if we attract the new owners, rather than having them drive to Chippenham or Trowbridge to do their shopping.
The "Spot the Oddity" competition - arranged by the Chamber around the High Street and other shopping street stores - will encourage families to walk that little bit extra around, and perhaps find shops they didn't know existed or had forgotten about. The "Best of Melksham" that we plan to run in the autumn will showcase some of the best of customer service (Melksham is such a friendly town!).
Seated around the table at a recent meeting, we came to realise just how much water has passed under bridge since "Leekes", and just how much the Chamber has changed since. There are just a handful of members who were involved in the early 1990s, and the Chamber is a very different "beast" these days. Our online poll to ask people about Countrywide - whether they should be given planning permission - brought a vote of 70 in favour and 2 against; it's good to listen to our members, and to our non-members too, to represent them, to help them, and to speak up for Melksham for the greater good of everyone in the community.
Business isn't just town centre business. Melksham has a whole series of industrial estates and areas - from factories such as "The Avon" [Cooper Tires] and Knorr-Bremse though to smaller one-man companies, and a very great deal of "distance" (on line / internet) business too.
As the town grows, so industry grows, internet business grows. And with extended leisure time, tourism will grow too. That calls for improved transport links (we know we have a few issues!), improved use of resources and the environmental, and all this in a world where our economy is currently picking up the bills for some of the things that have been going on in the lsat ten years.
Ahead ... there will be challenges. But Melksham is well placed to serve them. And the Chamber of Commerce is now well placed to serve Melksham.