BUSINESS development following the foot and mouth crisis will be the hot topic at Okehampton Chamber of Trade's next meeting on April 18 when South West Tourism representative Caroline Webster takes centre stage.

Caroline is head of business development and will be talking about a variety of subjects of interest to the tourism sector and general businesses.

Chairman of the chamber Ian Bailey said it was quite a coup to get a speaker of this calibre in Okehampton and he hoped as many people as possible would turn up with their questions.

'We want to ensure that any regeneration plans we have in the town gel with what South West Tourism is doing,' he said.

The chamber has recently set up a group looking into the tourism sector following concerns that it was focussing too much on the shops and welcomes any new tourism businesses or non-members to the meeting in the Plume of Feathers at 7.30pm.