W BUSINESS
L
OPPORTUNITY PROMISES BUSINESS
GROWTH, JOBS AND PROSPERITY
by Paula Basnett, CEO at Wirral Chamber of Commerce
As 2019 moves forward, Wirral Chamber of Commerce is looking to
the opportunities created in continuing to develop Wirral’s Business
and Place shaping to enhance our visitor and business economies
offer.
We look to keep informed and involve our membership through events,
such as In Business updates from industry experts, thought leaders
and key business support agencies, our Sector Forums meetings held
throughout the year, Coffee with the Leader for roundtable discussions
about regeneration and developments with the local authority, and
our Wave Networking sessions. These have been designed to develop
ambitions for growing Wirral’s economy and businesses through
encouraging member inter-trading and collaboration.
One of our most recent was the Coffee with the Leader, a monthly
meeting for Chamber Patron and Strategic Partners to meet with Cllr
Phil Davies, Leader of Wirral Council to discuss and exchange views in
helping to shape future plans for the area.
Held at Russell Taylor Group headquarters in Bromborough, leading
business representatives from the Russell Taylor Group, BM Waste
Services, Beech Group, The Carroll Group, Complete Training
Solutions, Digital Associate and The Hive Youth Zone participated.
Amongst topics the group were updated on several schemes on Wirral
Council’s regeneration agenda, such as a new market facility to enhance
the retail offer, leisure centre, cinema and office space, with other
projects, such as Liverpool based developer YPG plans to convert a
former council treasury building in Birkenhead into 200 student units
to be known as the Hamilton Hub.
maximise the attraction from Wirral’s view across the Mersey towards
Liverpool’s iconic skyline.
The waterfront location will also support Wirral’s recognition as Borough
of Culture 2019 through the Woodside Ferry Village project. Located in
the river ferry terminal, Woodside Ferry Village will be a family based
food and drink concept and home for several concessions. It will open
temporarily as a Coffee Lounge in January whilst refurbishment takes
place, before being fully operational in Spring 2019.
Terry Carroll of the Carroll Group said, “As a Wirral Chamber Strategic
Partner and a Liverpool based group of companies looking to invest in
Wirral I am encouraged that we have made the right decision and look
forward to using the contacts I have made today to develop our plans
further.”
This view was echoed by Chris Wainwright of Beech Group who was
equally enthusiastic, saying he was, “Very impressed with the discussion
and to hear about future plans, these are exciting times for Wirral and
Beech Group is ready and willing to support these initiatives in any way
we can.”
Throughout 2019, Wirral Chamber of Commerce will promote and
meet the needs of our business and visitor industries, and by working
together we can grow the community in which we live, work and do
business.
To find out more about Wirral Chamber of Commerce events and
membership please contact [email protected]
Peter Russell, Chairman of Russell Taylor Group, said, “We were
delighted to host this key event with Wirral Chamber of Commerce. It
is a major step forward to making regeneration a reality, and key to this
will be strong partnerships and collaboration between the public and
private sectors, employers, educationalists and training organisations to
create a vibrant economy driven by a local workforce.”
Proposals for regeneration at the Woodside area will also support
destination and visitor economy growth, increasing footfall and
wirrallife.com 81