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Business club calls a halt to meetings

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Published Date: 08 February 2010
A club for small companies in Northampton has ceased its lunchtime meetings because pressured modern businessmen would rather have a sandwich at their desks than make new contacts.
The Business Club, Northampton, run with help from former diplomat Sir Terence Streeton, encourages small and medium-sized businesses in the town to get together once a month at Northampton & County Club in George Row, to network over a lunch meeting
.

But due to low attendance - only four members turned up to the last meeting - the committee has called a halt to the meetings while it decides whether to continue.

Sir Terence said: "They all seemed interested in what we put on but so many people do not have a lunch now. Their concept is a sandwich at their desks so we have been forced to stand down."

Businessmen would gather for a drink and sit-down meal, costing £12.50, with a guest speaker invited to each meeting.

Past speakers have included former Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police Peter Maddison and Conservative MP for Northampton North Brian Binley.

Mr Binley, a member of the Parliamentary Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, said: "It's a great shame - they do a great job. I'm sure a contributing factor is the fact that so many small, independent businesses are being driven out of Northampton town centre by the high rates. We need more of those types of businesses not less."

Business club calls a halt to meetings

By Nick Spoors

Chronicle Reporter

nick.spoors@northantsnews.co.uk



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  • Last Updated: 08 February 2010 7:59 AM
  • Source: Northampton Chron & Echo
  • Location: Northampton
 
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1

St Lytham,

08/02/2010 10:38:01
MP Binley for Northampton South of course is electioneering no doubt.Abinston Street does not attract the public spend into town. Parking fees and enforcement is prohibitive /off putting. The Market Sq, despite the money being spent by NBC, attracts low quality vendors and a low average spend. What the Town needs and quickly is the regeneration of the retail offering by Legal & General, the area covered by NBC initially needs to be expanded to grow the population but not with more affordable/ social housing but with houses to attract business leaders and investor. There's enough cheap houses in Northampton already. Cheapest in the East Midlands I hear. We need better standards of education to allow business investors/owners money to invest in their businesses rather than having to pay Private School fees. Will MP Binley support business owners?
2

thenameofthegame,

08/02/2010 11:37:52
Perhaps they liked the food but the speakers were not to their taste!
3

Marv2008,

Northampton 08/02/2010 12:45:55
NBC does not support Small Businesses. They are only interested in the shops that can pay the high rates they charge. Some of the worst in the country. That's why we're fulling up with £1 or 99p shops.

But on the flip side other Networkign events are attracting more and more small businesses. The Federation of Small Business holds an event every month and it's going from strength to strength.
4

Good Time Gal,

At The Grindstone 08/02/2010 14:01:53
During my lunch break I'd love a drink, a sit down meal and a snooze while Binley waffles.

Alas, like thousands more, I get exactly thirty minutes break. In that time I can barely get from one end of my building to the other - let alone get into the town centre.
5

yonks,

08/02/2010 14:28:03
Thought Barclaycard had a rollercoaster service into town & back.
6

emily sanger,

just visiting 09/02/2010 00:36:46
Marv2008. I went to one of the NBC budget meetings and we were told it is the government not local councils which sets business rates. The government also gets all the income from business rates even though it is the local councils who collect it. Someone said the council should reduce the rent for shops to help businesses. We were told it is private landlords who own them, not the council.
7

paulanthony,

northampton 09/02/2010 11:28:28
I popped into the Circle Breakfast Club last week, v good speaker (Claire Young), networking and breakfast.
I got info from miriam@masonb.co.uk
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