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| File:Logo of the Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce.png | |
| Formation | 1902 |
|---|---|
| Legal status | Not-for-profit organisation |
| Location |
|
CEO | Michael Ratcliffe |
| Website | cheltenhamchamber |
The Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce is a membership organisation that represents and supports the interests of the business community in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. It offers training courses, online seminars, and networking events for its members as well as other business information and intelligence.[1]
History
editThe Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1902 by James Agg-Gardner, at that time Cheltenham's Member of Parliament (MP). Agg-Gardner was immediately elected as the Chamber's first President, and had regained the position at the time of his death in 1928.[2]
Cheltenham, having emerged from obscurity only in the 18th century, was a relative latecomer to the wider Chamber movement in Britain. Although not an industrial town, its retail services were buoyed by the success of its spas and racecourses, turning the area into a prosperous shopping centre by the early 20th century. Some of the local merchants became eager to organise in their shared interests, and especially eager for the prestige of possessing a Chamber of Commerce rather than a trade association, which Cheltenham would have ordinarily been expected to form as a town.[3]
The Chamber took an active role in the community, supporting recruitment efforts in the First World War as well as donating an ambulance to the Red Cross.[4][5] It also founded and financed a charity fund for prisoners of war held in Gloucestershire, supplying them with food packages and clothing.[6] After the war, it founded the Cheltenham Festival of Performing Arts - then known as the Cheltenham Competitive Festival - in 1926 to immediate success.[7]
By 1941, the Chamber had risen in influence enough to be considered one of the town's 'three chains of office', alongside the mayoralty and rotary club, due to the prevalence of its leaders also having held office in the other organisations, and vice versa.[8] It had grown to a membership of over 250 firms and individuals in 1944, whereas in 1906 it had 64 members overall.[9][10]
During the period of Anglo-German tension preceding the Second World War, the Chamber worked in collaboration with the Gloucester Chamber of Commerce to drive recruitment for the British Territorial Army.[11] Four days after the outbreak of war, the Chamber met and agreed to heavily lobby the Town Council toward preparing Cheltenham for air raids, blackouts, early closures, and general economic hardship.[12]
Present
editSince 2013, the Chamber has organised the 'REACH' campaign to oppose plans to downgrade Cheltenham's hospital services.[13] It has been successful in preventing decisions such as downgrading the A&E Department into a Minor Injuries and Illnesses Unit overnight, and later the conversion of the whole hospital into a day-case only facility.
In light of Cheltenham's upcoming 'Golden Valley' development and its aims to turn Cheltenham into an international cyber, digital, and creative centre, the Chamber has worked to establish dialogue between the developers and local businesses to engender collaboration and promote the project's economic benefit to the area.[14][15]
References
edit- ^ "Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce". cheltenhamchamber.org.uk.
- ^ "Death of Sir James Agg-Gardner". The Gloucestershire Echo. Newspapers.com. August 9, 1928. pp. 5–6.
- ^ "Initial Meeting". The Gloucestershire Echo. Newspapers.com. February 22, 1902. p. 3.
- ^ "Recruiting Party". The Gloucestershire Echo. Newspapers.com. August 14, 1915. p. 3.
- ^ "Red Cross". Cheltenham Chronicle and Gloucestershire Graphic. Newspapers.com. November 2, 1918. p. 2.
- ^ "Food, Parcels & Clothing for Cheltenham Prisoners of War". The Gloucestershire Echo. Newspapers.com. October 2, 1917. p. 4.
- ^ "Interesting Matters Discussed". The Gloucestershire Echo. Newspapers.com. June 2, 1926. p. 3.
- ^ "Triple Honour". Cheltenham Chronicle and Gloucestershire Graphic. Newspapers.com. October 18, 1941. p. 5.
- ^ "How Traders Cooperate With Town Council". The Gloucestershire Echo. Newspapers.com. October 25, 1944. p. 3.
- ^ "Annual Meeting". The Gloucestershire Echo. Newspapers.com. February 28, 1903. p. 1.
- ^ Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce: Minutes. Gloucester Heritage Hub. July 6, 1937.
- ^ Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce: Minutes. Gloucester Heritage Hub. September 5, 1939.
- ^ "REACH (Restore Emergency at Cheltenham Hospital)". reachnow.com.
- ^ "The Golden Valley Development". goldenvalley.uk.
- ^ "A Golden Valley Development over Breakfast". cheltenhamchamber.org.uk.