New network provides voice for Ironbridge businesses
Telford & Wrekin Council is proud to announce the launch of a new business network in Ironbridge in a drive to increase local and visitor footfall to the world famous UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Ironbridge Business Consortium will be launched on Tuesday 1 December by chairman Alex Nicoll with members of the business community. Joining the launch will be Councillor Shaun Davies, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Business.
The consortium includes more than 40 businesses from in and around Ironbridge committed to promoting the Gorge’s retail offer to increase festive trade.
The launch comes in the run up to the Small Business Saturday, a nationwide event to help celebrate the UK’s five million small businesses by raising their profile and creating new reasons to shop and do businesses locally.
The Ironbridge Consortium will be the official network for businesses in the Gorge replacing the Chamber of Trade that previously existed.
The network will work proactively alongside Telford & Wrekin Council to ensure Ironbridge continues to grow and develop as a destination of choice for resident and visitors as well as ensuring the conditions for business are improved to make it a great place to invest and do business in.
Members of the consortium include retail, manufacturing, professional services businesses and many more, all key stakeholders in the world famous UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Ironbridge Gorge.
Chair of the Ironbridge Consortium and Director of The White Hart, Alex Nicoll said: “I am delighted that the Consortium is up and running. We feel what we have to offer in Ironbridge from a retail perspective has never been so good.
“We will be supporting Small Business Saturday on Saturday December 5 which is all about promoting independent retailers and we feel that is one of the charms of Ironbridge.
“We want to remind locals that Ironbridge is about more than the Bridge itself, we have gift shops, clothing , fashion, home furnishings, arts and crafts, cards, gifts and great café’s and restaurants.”
Councillor Shaun Davies, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Business, said: “We are committed to supporting local businesses in all of our borough towns to expand their offer wherever and whenever we can and we are delighted to support the formation of the Ironbridge Retail Consortium and look forward to working with them.
“It is great to see business working together in a bid to generate more trade and I am sure that businesses in and around Ironbridge will build on their success with the proactive work of this new business consortium and the council looks forward to working with the network and its businesses.”
More information on Small Business Saturday can be found here.
