OKEHAMPTON?S Chamber of Trade is facing a serious financial crisis and can only flourish if more businesses in the town come to its aid. That is the warning chairman Richard Appleby has set out this week in a letter written to businesses in the town. The chamber says that without an increase in the number of paid subscriptions this year it will not be able to fund the popular Christmas lights and Edwardian Evening to the standard of previous years. Less than a quarter of businesses in the Okehampton area currently subscribe to the chamber. The town?s Christmas lights display costs more than £1,000 each year, while the annual Edwardian Evening which brings festive shoppers from a wide area into the town costs a further £500. The chamber also provides the hanging baskets which help bring colour to the town throughout the summer. Mr Appleby said: ?We are very proud of our lights. We have one of the best displays for a town of this size. ?Edwardian Evening is a fantastic night too, and it brings people into the town who enjoy the Christmas atmosphere. ?I think sometimes everyone assumes that everyone else has paid. They don?t mean to not support it, but if everyone takes that approach there are only a few people stumping up the money.? Mr Appleby said he was ?very lucky? to be part of an experienced and positive committee, made up of volunteer businessmen and women who gave their time and energy to try to improve the town?s commercial environment. But he said that without basic financial support through the subscriptions from members, the chamber would be unable to offer the services people have come to expect. Mr Appleby said declining membership was a major problem the chamber wanted to address. ?From over 200 businesses operating in and around Okehampton, less than 50 now subscribe to the chamber,? he said. Mr Appleby said businesses in the town needed to help each other to promote what Okehampton had to offer which would create jobs and build prosperity for the area. The chamber will meet tonight (Thursday) to discuss the implications of their financial situation. It is set to unveil an offer allowing businesses to join with an introductory package for the remainder of 2005 for only £15. Mr Appleby said he was using the personal letter to set out his firm belief that everyone who was in business in Okehampton and the surrounding area should belong to the chamber. He said: ?We are the only recognised and fully independent voice for businesses in the area and we form a powerful lobbying body, which has excellent relations with the local and borough councils.? Mr Appleby said the chamber was also currently taking the lead in promoting and raising funds for the proposed CCTV security system in Okehampton Town Centre. The chamber meeting is at the Plume of Feathers in Okehampton, starting at 6pm. All businesses are welcome to attend.
