DOUBLING the membership, getting more involved in the community and holding more social events are some of the suggestions by the Tavistock Chamber of Commerce as it enters a new phase with PR and communications expert Neil Taynton-Young at the helm. Mr Taynton-Young, who took over the role of chairman from Nigel Eadie of the Original Pasty House, said he was keen to get as much feedback as possible from members as to how the chamber should develop into the future. He said the chamber was for all Tavistock and district businesses and he wanted to widen the membership and also hold more social events so members could get to know each other. 'I see faces in a room but I don't know that much about people's businesses,' he said. 'I would like that to change. 'We all have businesses to make money and the chamber is here so we can make new connections and recommend people's businesses with confidence.' When Tavistock started up the Business Improvement District (BID)— using a levy on business rates to fund town centre improvements and improve commerce — the chamber lost its identity a little, said the chairman. The BID had in excess of 240 members who paid into it, but it was focused on the town centre area, whereas the chamber was to benefit the whole of the Tavistock and district area. Chamber members said they would like to see a representative from BID at their meetings in the future so they knew what initiatives and schemes were being worked on. Interest was expressed in holding masterclasses and members agreed that the breakfast meetings had been a great success. There are also plans to launch a newsletter to keep members up to date. A new set of rules and objectives for the chamber is in its draft format and a question and answer session will be held in the next couple of months before a decision is made on it at an EGM in October. There was enthusiasm for Wetherspoons coming to town which, in addition to its pub and restaurant, would also offer a budget hotel, the likes of which Tavistock did not have at the moment. The aim was to get new businesses involved in the chamber and Emma Taynton-Young suggested it would be great if every present current member could encourage one other business to join up. It was suggested by Mike Harper, who was voted in as the new treasurer of the chamber, that members take part in local community events, like the lions and rotary clubs did, and perhaps get some t-shirts printed with the chamber logo. Other businesses said how they valued the input they had had in the past with Tavistock College and working with students in new enterprise scenarios as they were 'the young entrepreneurs and employees of the future.' Mr Taynton-Young said he wanted the chamber to be very pro-active and hoped that members would contact him should they have new ideas, thoughts or concerns. He can be contacted at [email protected]">[email protected]