Don't take our businesses for granted

The news that the Bristol Blue Glass company is to close imminently got me reflecting on how lucky we are to have so many long established businesses who have served the Chew Valley for decades and bring so much to the community by providing jobs as well as goods and services.

We cannot take our companies for granted as the cautionary tale of Bristol Blue Glass warns us. They say they desperately tried to stay afloat but seem to have eventually sunk under the weight of multiple problems. Those included the ill health of their managing directors, rising tax and fuel costs and increases in the price of renting their premises.

The risks attached to those issues are keenly appreciated by all our members who use Chamber meetings to talk about issues and exchange ideas. We are fortunate to have a wide variety of business members, some of which are run by families who are able to maintain continuity by passing the reins from one generation to the next. Whilst others are new ventures, taken on by enterprising entrepreneurs who bring fresh ideas and a lively energy into the area.

The support of the local community is so important to help all our businesses keep running and providing a sustainable foundation for the economy of the Chew Valley, which benefits everyone

It’s all too easy to assume that things will always stay as they are, but that isn’t necessarily the case, as the example of Bristol Blue Glass illustrates and we should pay attention to their experience.