Chamber News
In Business for Business
Welcome
Invitations have been dispatched and the Board are really looking forward to meeting all our new members who have joined since the start of the year.
Reminder to RSVP to ceo@carlowchamber.com
Carlow Our Town - Your Town - Be Part of it
The Team:
Carlow Town Team is a collaboration between the business people of Carlow Town Centre; County Carlow Chamber of Commerce; Carlow Local Authorities; Carlow County Enterprise Board; Carlow County Development Partnership; Carlow Tourism; IT Carlow; Carlow College; Carlow Volunteer Centre; Carlow Arts Festival, An Garda Siochána and the wider community of Carlow
In the current economic climate it is now more important than ever to have a shared vision by all stakeholders to ensure Carlow Town meets the challenges it faces head on. Carlow Town Team can assist Carlow Town Centre in its economic, cultural and social development
Our Aim is to:
- Support existing local town centre businesses - securing existing jobs
- Develop new markets and create additional employment
- Promote Carlow Town Centre as a location for investment by retail, hospitality and other service providers
- Devise incentives to encourage new businesses not currently trading in Carlow Town Centre to occupy commercial premises and retail units that have been vacant over an extended period of time
- Create a heightened sense of civic pride
How is the Town Team doing this?
Through its four sub-committees and collaboration with various stakeholders:
- Retail and Hospitality Team (Chairman Turlough O’Brien)
- Product Standard & Service Team (Chairman PJ Hickson)
- Citizen Engagement Team (Chairman Kieran Comerford)
- Cultural/Community Team (Chairman Hugo Jellett)
The four sub committees are already up and running and have undertaken a vast body of work.
A summary of actions to date includes:
- Retail and Hospitality Team (Chairman Turlough O’Brien)
- Preparation of Carlow Town Centre Investment Prospectus
- Christmas Festivities Programme
- Devising Incentive Packages:
- Draft Carlow Town Council Incentive Schemes for Vacant Properties
- Draft Carlow Town Council Incentive Scheme for Parking
- Product Standard & Service Team (Chairman PJ Hickson)
- Developing a Business Charter to enhance the presentation of Carlow Town Centre
- Developing a programme for enhanced Street Signage / Colour Mapping / Town Zoning
- Reviewing Traffic Management Plan
- Safety and Security – Business Watch
- Developing a Bike Scheme for Carlow Town
- Citizen Engagement Team (Chairman Kieran Comerford)
- Youtube Video Programme for Retailers in Carlow Town Centre
- Branding and promotion proposals for Carlow Town Team
- Arranging Community Launch for Carlow Town Team 27th November 2013
- Pop Up Shop Programme for Christmas Period
- Proposed Publication of Carlow Town Centre Investment Prospectus
- 800+ ‘Future Streets’ Competition Presentation of Awards & Findings
- Cultural/Community Team (Chairman Hugo Jellett)
- Carlow Arts Festival re-locating to Dublin Street
- Proposed Establishment of Arts / Crafts Co-operative on Dublin Street
- Devising Incentive Scheme for Art/Craft Studios or Art/Craft Shops to occupy vacant properties in the Dublin Street or College Street or Charlotte Street area of Carlow Town Centre
- Student Integration - Student Town Centre Space
Without revealing too much at this early stage, our Christmas in Carlow Committee have pulled out all the stops to put an innovative package together.
The switching on of our new Christmas Lights display will herald a month of seasonal fun and entertainment, for the young and not so young.
Spread the word Carlow Town Centre will be the place to be this Christmas.
DIARY ENTRIES
Diary 2014
The front cover is a really magnificent aerial shot taken by Greg Mynhardt of Hedgehog Productions while the back cover features a collage of award winning Clonegal Village, winner of the Gold Medal in the European Entente Florale 2013.
If you require any changes to your 2013 entry, please contact the office before Tuesday next, November 12th.
RETAIL VOLUNTEERS WANTED
Retailer Focus Group
Co Carlow Chamber are working with An Post to develop this Carlow Town Carlow.
This is a unique opportunity. We already have 8 retailers willing to enlist.
Retailers need to fight back. This can be the next step.
Please contact me immediately (first come basis) if you would like more information and if you would be willing to attend a Workshop on Monday evening November 25th.
My email is ceo@carlowchamber.com
Senior Enterprise Conference
The Conference is held in the Lord Bagenal Hotel on November 26th from 9.30pm. The Conference is held to encourage people over fifty to examine the possibility of self employment or look at turning a hobby into a small business.
It will give you a fascinating insight into the supports that are available to people who would like to start a business and are over 50. It will inspire you with presentations by people who have come to start their own business later in life, exploring some of the difficulties they encountered and how they got help to get over the difficult early stages of development. It will give you practical advice on the steps you can take to help with your business idea and encourage you to take the jump and start your own business no matter what stage of life you are at.
Who should come?
The conference is free of charge and open to anybody over 50 that is thinking about self-employment or turning a hobby into a start up idea.
Carlow County Enterprise Board’s goal is to ensure the continued growth and success of Micro Enterprises in the region through our various support programs.
Online PR - Merging Old Traditions and New Technolgies
Carlow County Enterprise Board are holding a very interesting networking event this November.
The discipline of Public Relations has undergone a digital transformation. Your little black book of contacts is no longer enough to generate brand awareness, engage journalists, interest bloggers or motivate consumers.The consumer has been transformed into a pro-sumer so you need to capture their interest, loyalty and action using new media technologies.Joanne will share some of her tricks of the trade and also some successful case studies.You will learn practical tips and leave with a new view on how to approach your next PR campaign.
What you will learn
- The components of an online PR campaign
- New technologies for Online PR
- Devising an online campaign
- Measuring campaign results
Date: 13th November 2013
Venue: Talbot Hotel, Carlow
Time: 12.30pm - 2.30pm
Cost: Free for NEW Members & Guests / Non-Members €10
You must rsvp to attend this event to tkehoe@carlow-ceb.com or phone 059 9130880.
Local Government Awards
The Excellence in Local Government Awards showcase best practice in local government and highlight some of the great projects that local authorities are undertaking.The Awards are judged by a panel of expert judges working in the field of Local Government and have been taking place since 2004.The winners will be announced on 13th November.
Carlow Local Authorities have four projects shortlisted in the following categories:
- Sustaining the Arts: Panchaea
- Festival of the Year: Pan Celtic International & Carlow 800
- Smarter Travel: Breathe Carlow
- Sports Development: McGrath Park Integrated Community Sports Facility.
Co Carlow Chamber
Email: ceo@carlowchamber.com
Website: www.carlowchamber.com
Location: Athy Road, Carlow, Ireland
Phone: 0599132337
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlow.chamber
Twitter: @carlowchamber