Peacehaven and District Chamber of Commerce - A Brief History
THE Peacehaven and District Chamber of Commerce was officially launched in February 2007 by the then Mayor of Peacehaven, Cllr Elayne Merry.
She felt that a town the size of Peacehaven and the businesses within the town would benefit significantly from having a Chamber of Commerce.
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'During my first year as Mayor I started to get a better understanding of our town but felt that there was an important link missing between the council and the business community. When I embarked upon my second term as Mayor I wanted to find out if there was local interest to launch and support a Chamber of Commerce,' Cllr Merry says. Towards the end of 2006 around 200 of the town's businesses were invited to a series of introductory meetings to gauge interest in the town forming a Chamber of Commerce. |
With the help and support of Peacehaven Town Council, dozens of businesses turned up at these meetings and it became very clear that Cllr Merry had awoken a potential sleeping giant.
A committee was formed headed up by Phil Armstrong, managing director of Pama Sign Services Ltd and the Peacehaven & District Chamber of Commerce was born.
Today, The Peacehaven and District Chamber of Commerce is well on its way to becoming the area's premier business support and networking organisation with membership increasing each month.
Membership is drawn largely from the Peacehaven and Telscombe Cliffs area but as a testament to the strength of the Chamber, members are joining from Newhaven, Seaford, Lewes, Brighton, Hove and Haywards Heath.
Cllr Merry continues, 'I'm very pleased at the progress the Chamber is making and would urge businesses that have not yet joined to do so and they too will enjoy the many benefits that membership brings.'
The Chamber held its first AGM on Wednesday February 6th 2008. Gary Maskell of Icon Business Solutions succeeded Phil Armstrong as chairman.