Uckfield Business Awards could be organised in the town next year.
The idea was put to a Chamber of Commerce meeting last week (Tuesday, July 19) and overwhelming support through a show of hands means more thought will be given to the proposal.
Executive committee member Adrian Corbin said there were enough businesses within the town and Chamber of Commerce to do something to reward good businesses. This would be a boost for employees too.
He added business awards, with a dinner, would raise the profile of the Chamber of Commerce within the town, increase membership further and raise the profile of the organisation within Sussex.
Mr Corbin also highlighted the date of a Meet the Chambers Conference 2011 to be hosted by the Uckfield Chamber and held at Buxted Park Hotel in October. He said: “Let’s put Uckfield on the map.”
Chamber secretary Ian Blackaller said interest in the conference had, so far, been shown by Chambers at Eastbourne, Battle, Hastings, Worthing, Horsham, Billingshurst and by East Grinstead Business Association.
He urged Uckfield members to register their interest as soon as possible.
Speakers at the conference are to be the Rt Hon Nicholas Soames MP and Mr Martin Perry, chief executive of Brighton and Hove Albion FC.
Nearly 100 members attended the bi-monthly meeting of Uckfield Chamber of Commerce at Barnsgate Manor where a barbecue was provided.
Chamber president Peter Gale, a partner at accountants Swindells, said he was hopeful progress was being made to enable derelict land at Uckfield railway station to be used as a car park thanks to help from Wealden MP Charles Hendry.
He also reported there were plans to replace and upgrade a signage board at the entrance to the Bellbrook Business Park which had been damaged by vandals.
On display at the meeting was the record-breaking electric motorcycle developed by Phil Edwards of Weald EVT. Phil told fellow members how his dragster shaved nearly one second off a previous record in an alternative energy event at Santa Pod.
Five new members talked about their businesses. They were, from Blackboys, Fiona Hill of AFH Payroll Solutions, from Newick, David Timmons and his daughter Victoria of The Wine Teacher, and, from Uckfield, Sarah Edmunds of Sarah Edmunds Legal, Cathy Griffin of Vodawash and Mike Jackson from Fun Abounds trampoline centre.
Robin Stevenson, head of taxation at Swindells entertained with a Fiscal Facts presentation and there were also talks from Shirley Price of Yes Promo Products, John Collins of Active at 60, Tom Diamond of Proponent, Emma Flaherty of the Highlands Inn, Jeremy Hallett about fund-raising for an all-weather sports pitch in Uckfield, Ian Smith about the Brighter Uckfield Campaign, Neil Edwards from The Marketing Eye and Mike Ziolek of Uckfield FM.
