Bath Chamber of Commerce

Background

As a wholly owned subsidiary of GWE Business West, the organisation provides members with an opportunity to influence decisions made which have a strategic effect on the whole of the West of England – from Weston-super-Mare via Bristol, all the way to Swindon. 

The Chamber has provided a platform and a meeting place for business since its foundation in 1902. But it has always adapted with changing times in order to meet the needs of its members.

These days that means satisfying two principal objectives for our members in Bath and North East Somerset – ensuring the interests of business are heard in the corridors of power and that members have access to networking events and the right services they need to prosper.

The Chamber is led by the Executive Director and the President, who chairs the Board which oversees the whole organisation.

An Executive Committee steers the Chamber and agrees policy formed from the recommendations of the committees. Six members are elected directly from the membership whilst six others are co-opted to bring additional specialist knowledge.

Standing committees provide the drive for the Chamber where members can raise issues of concern, gather and share information and use their skills and experience across a range of sectors such as economic development, retail, tourism and transport.

The Chamber is regularly involved in discussions about matters of concern to people working in commerce.

As a result, the voice of business is at the heart of debates on all issues which affect the local economy, for example the Core Strategy, which will provide a blueprint for the way the district develops in the next 20 years.

The Chamber also runs a full calendar of events, including informal mixer sessions and business card lunches which prove it is possible to mix business with pleasure.