Please Join Our Autumn Push

Axminster Chamber of Commerce

Do your bit to boost Axminster

We have a whole string of Chamber / Totally Locally Axminster events lined up to boost trade in the town as we head into autumn and onwards towards Christmas. To make them a success we need YOUR support - please take this newsletter as your event sign-up opportunity. All the events are open to both Chamber members and also, with a small charge where necessary, to non-members.

Move over Fiver Fests

Our Totally Locally Axminster Fiver Fests have been a popular way in which to remind everyone of the importance of supporting local businesses. There is, however, now general agreement that inflation has taken its toll and that it’s time to increase the price point to £10. We are, therefore, one of the towns joining a national Totally Locally Magic Tenner campaign which will run from 7 to 21 October.

It works in the same simple fashion as a Fiver Fest. All you as a trader have to do is come up with a special £10 deal that represents good value and offer it through the campaign period. We will provide you with posters to promote your involvement in the campaign and enable you to announce the specifics of your ‘deal’. We will also promote it heavily via social media. We will be asking non-members for just £5 towards the printing costs.

The campaign team includes Emma Herrod of the Axminster Vending Shed who has made the little video below to persuade you to join in. Emma is also helping us make a video featuring participating traders to promote the campaign to the community. Interested? Please email Emma (emmaherrod@hotmail.com) to find out more and sign up.

Emma’s Axminster based Vending Shed business is one of the first
to sign up for the Magic Tenner campaign.

Food festival: opportunity knocks

Axminster Gate to Plate promises a big town centre footfall on Saturday 7th October. Organised by eat-Festivals and involving food businesses from right across the south west, it will have some 60 stalls. The number of visitors makes it a big opportunity, not just for the stallholders but for Axminster’s own bricks and mortar traders. Please think about what you can do to capitalise on the potential, including maybe staying open into the afternoon if you normally close at lunchtime.

Do business with other businesses

We are delighted to be launching our first breakfast networking event on Tuesday 31st October at the Railway Kitchen. It’s basically an opportunity for any business in Axminster and the immediate area that wants to connect with other businesses. We want to trial it for a while and also take in ideas as we go along. For this first pilot event we are planning:

7.30 am - Breakfast served by the Railway Kitchen

7.45 am - Welcome from the Chamber

8.00 am - Main presentation - on this occasion Stuart Carrington of Westcotts will talk about:

The current fiscal situation, the effect on your business and tips to manage your way through

8.30 am - Q&A

8.40 am - One-minute introductory pitches for everyone present

8.50 am - Discussion on the structuring and frequency of future events

9.00 am - Close

More info and book

Another networking opportunity

Meanwhile, Chamber members are invited to join another business networking event courtesy of the Community Waffle House. The Axminster Business Networking Event takes place on Mon 2nd October from 7pm and will be a great opportunity to connect with fellow professionals in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

The aim is to exchange ideas, share experiences and explore potential collaborations with like-minded people across various sectors. There will be also be a marketing expert on hand to field questions about digital marketing.

Get the details

… Christmas events alert

Christmas is coming - and we have ambitious plans to make it a vibrant one for Axminster. Our aim is to offer some additional reasons for people to spend time in the town centre over the period from the switching on of the Christmas Lights on 25th November. We will provide much more detail nearer the time but we are planning live daytime music to create a big festive atmosphere in Trinity Square on Saturdays 9th and 16th December. There will be opportunities for local businesses (especially the hospitality set) to get involved, either in the streets or at their own premises.

We are also one of the partners - with the Community Waffle House, Axminster Community Shed and Axminster Heritage Centre - in building a large model railway that we aim to have on display for the Christmas run-in. The model will celebrate the famous old Axminster to Lyme Regis branch line. If it hasn’t been let by then, the windows of the former River Cottage will be its home and we expect it to draw a lot of people. More details soon, including an opportunity to put your business name on a rail wagon or hoarding.

Good reasons for joining the Chamber

We are working to help make Axminster’s economy stronger
We give businesses a voice
We are exploring issues that matter
We are supporting individual businesses wherever we can
We are driving ‘shop local‘ campaigns
We are boosting the street scene with banners, community tables and more
You get a free premium listing in our online business directory
We are running valuable skills workshops (free to members) in areas such as social media
We are planning to create more networking opportunities
We are working closely with our local authorities
Axminster is stronger if we all work together.

Join now

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Our mailing address is: c/o Archway Bookshop, Trinity Square, Axminster EX13 5AP.
Email: secretary@axminster.biz

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