In association with

Chamber faces axe to inside

Local reaction to
make way for ‘forum’ pre-Budget
Alistair Darling’s

Moves to set up Retailer’s view

report: Page 20

“
new lobby group I’d consider joining but that would be Hotseat
determined by what kind of costs there Smallville crusader
Chris Visser would be for subscription. We need to For Cuthbert

A
NEW “powerful lobbying
group” joining members
from two business chambers
is being lined up for Preston.
A ‘City Centre Forum’ could re-
place the Preston Chamber of
Trade by including the group’s cur-
rent members along with city busi-
nesses in the North and Western
Chamber of Commerce.
It comes two months after Nicholas
Watson shocked the business com-
munity by quitting as the Chamber
of Trade’s chief executive citing an
unwillingness by high street names
to join the group as a key reason for
his decision.
Now, the North and Western Lan-
cashire Chamber of Commerce has
sent a letter out to businesses asking
for their views on the idea.
In it, its chief executive Babs Mur-
phy writes: “We feel that the time is
now right to unite our resources and
campaign on behalf of Preston as
one single organisation.
“Our proposal is to create a City
Centre Forum that would represent
the interests of those Preston-based
businesses who belong to both
chambers. The forum would sit as a
LETTER TO BOSSES: Babs Murphy
separate retail membership category
within the North and Western Lan-
cashire Chamber of Commerce
management structure but with its
own terms of reference and manage-
ment committee.
“We believe that joining forces
would create a much more powerful
lobbying body to campaign on issues
that affect the Preston economy. We
need to unite as a Preston business
community and campaign as a single
voice. If you share our view (and
even if you don’t) please let me have
your initial thoughts.”
The chamber’s policy director Hugh
Evans said the idea had the backing
of Mr Watson and the Preston
pedestrianise Fishergate, town centre parking Culshaw helping
local trade resist
needs to be addressed and streets need levelling the continuing
out and rebuilding.” Pete Lester, HMV store manager onslaught of the
out-of-town store
giants is more
important than the
Chamber of Trade though details determined by what kind of costs credit crunch crisis
such as its eventual make-up have there would be for subscription.
yet to be determined. “We need to pedestrianise Fisher- PAGE19
He said: “We hope to take sound- gate, town centre parking needs to
ings over the next three or four be addressed and streets need level-
weeks before Christmas and start the ling out and rebuilding.” Opinion
process properly in the new year.” Neither Mr Watson nor a
And the move has been warmly wel- spokesman for the Preston Chamber Testing times
comed by businesses across the city. of Trade were available for com-
Atif Iqbal, store manager of Primark ment. The Preston Chamber of Watchdogs should
at the Fishergate Shopping Centre, Trade’s website is still online but its be less harsh in
said: “If someone could send us a published phone number rings judging local
brochure, we would look at it. through to a dead line. businesses
“I think it sounds a good idea and
will benefit the major shareholders. especially during
“By pooling resources together, it
might be better for the city. If they
Online the recession,
says chef and
have powerful members, they can Related stories on www.lep.co.uk: entrepreneur Paul
get things done.” ● Chamber head quits over ‘lack of
Pete Lester, manager of the city’s unity’ by big stores Heathcote
HMV store in Fishergate, said: “I’d ● Council could ease car park PAGE 19
consider joining but that would be chaos

Consultancy

Homeserve warns: Jobs will have to be cut Racing certainties

INSURANCE firm Homeserve has
warned jobs will be cut at its Fulwood-
based call centre despite reporting
higher profits.
The group, which employs around 900
staff at its Fulwood Park site, is to un-
dergo a £5m reorganisation scheme
after revealing its full-year operating
profits could be down by up to £3m.
The cuts come despite Homeserve re-
porting a 10% rise in operating profits
to £23.8m for the six months to Sep-
tember 30 helped by further growth in
its UK membership business as policy
numbers rose by 530,000.
The warning led to shares falling by
14.7% in the company on Monday.
Richard Harpin, the company’s chief
executive, told the Evening Post:
“We are pleased with another good
set of results – our profits are up. We
have had one million new policies in
the last 12 months. We are making
great progress.
“But we have never been complacent
so we are taking a prudent view - we
have seen a 1% reduction in our re-
tention rate to 83%. We could even
see a further decline in the retail
market.
“At Preston, we built an additional
building 12 to 18 months ago and we
expect continuing growth in that
business. “We are looking at efficien-
cies. We have just started a consulta-
tion with our 5,500 staff. We can say
there will be a few people coming out
of the business that could lead to fu-
ture growth. In the medium term,
that would be good news.
“We are talking about small num-
bers. We remain committed to Pre-
Sonia Saxton
ston. We saved 865 Christmases last says companies
year as we were there answering calls
and getting repairs done.” should turn to
Kevin Lapwood, an analyst at Sey- psychological
mour Pierce stockbrokers, said: techniques used
“There are some signs of a slowing of in the sporting
growth in the UK but we do not be-
lieve this to be seriously damaging to world to
this year and is offset by strong overcome
growth overseas.” obstacles
Homeserve employs around 5,500 PAGE 25
people, of which some 1,250 are UK-
based directly employed engineers
which operate from six sites.