Clare Business Association

What is the Clare Business Association?
CBA organises the regular Christmas Lights which are switched on usually on the last Friday in November each year.  It organises late-night shopping for the Christmas Period.  CBA works closely with Clare Parish Council in matters which affect Clare in general, such as parking for both traders and shoppers and general traffic flow.  Each meeting has a 'guest speaker' to address matters which are either relevant to current affairs or could help Clare businesses to survive current problems and to improve their future trading.  As well as representatives of the tourism industry, including the London 2012 Olympics, guest speakers who represent Clare in St Edmundsbury and Suffolk County councils and Tim Yeo MP.  There is also a regular newsletter updating all members on what is happening generally.

Committee Members

 

 

Committee Member Business Position Alaric Pugh Alaric Pugh Associates Chairman Nick Smith Clare Pharmacy Vice-Chairman David Sleath Hudgies Hardware Treasurer Ron Longland   Secretary Sarah Barrington Blue Dog Late Night Shopping Chele Brown Naturally You Publicity  Pippa Smith  Clare Pharmacy  Christmas Lights

Membership
This is open to any commercial business within the parish of Clare and District. Membership is not open to charities or other non-profit making organisations although CBA works closely with those whenever appropriate. It need not have a commercial outlet, such as a shop, but could function from home as a private enterprise or service company.

To become a member of the CBA, please contact Ron Longland, Secretary on 01787 277769
Membership fee for 2010 is still £25.  Currently membership stands at 46, a record. This is a very good membership and represents over half of all businesses in Clare. Below is a list of current members, some of whom have website links.

CBA Members

CBA Meetings CBA meets four times a year, on the last Thursday in March, June, September and the first Thursday in December. All meetings are in the Committee Room of the Community Centre at 7:30 p.m. The AGM is held in The Bell on the last Thursday in January and is followed by a Members Meeting. What do we do? Responsibilities and Activities CBA represents the businesses of Clare in the following areas. Representation can be through correspondence or in person in Clare or elsewhere. Since its inception there have been major involvements in the following events. The Clare Christmas Lights These Christmas lights illuminate Clare each year from the last Friday in November until Twelfth Night and the annual switching-on event is a fun evening and marks the start of the festive season in Clare. The event begins with a parade from the parish church at 5:45 p.m., lead by a piper, along High Street to Market Hill and the lights are switched on at 6:00 p.m. Volunteers serve refreshments and there is entertainment and fairground rides for children. This event is organised each year by members of the CBA in conjunction with the Parish Council. CBA membership fees contribute to the cost of the lights. Promotion of tourism The CBA works with other organisations (such as the Tourist Information Centre) to promote tourism in Clare. The CBA produces the Clare Tourism leaflet which gives information on the attractions and facilities in Clare. It is distributed throughout East Anglia at Tourist Information Centres and ports of entry, such as Stansted and Harwich. Working with the Clare Parish Council & other organisations The CBA works closely with other local organisations. Recently there has been joint working on the issue of parking within Clare. CBA and the Clare Parish Council co-ordinated a recent survey into parking habits to enable St Edmundsbury Borough Council to identify ways that parking for visitors and residents can be improved. Alaric Pugh Associates Alaric Pugh 01787 277599 PR, Marketing & Strategic Business Planning alaric@alaricpugh.co.uk Atlantic Health & Spa Rob Wise 01787 279009 Health & fitness club, day spa & café www.atlantichealthandspa.co.uk Baker & Baker Furniture Marie Baker 01787 277379 Custom-made furniture www.bakerandbakerfurniture.co.uk/ Billsons Opticians Ian Billson 01787 277600 Dispensing opticians www.billsonopticians.co.uk/ Blue Dog Sarah Barrington 01787 279003 Homeware, accessories, gifts and cards www.bluedogtrading.co.uk/ Bridewell Images Carl Benson 01787 278261 Mirror manufacturer C J Cars Julie Moody 01787 277665 Private Taxi Hire Café Clare Celia Deith Café & restaurant www.cafeclare.co.uk/ Clare Antiques & Interiors 01787 278449 Antique Centre www.clareantiques.co.uk Clare Park Lake Golf Course Susan Moore 01787 27869 Golf course www.claregolfcourse.co.uk/ Clare Pharmacy Nick Smith 01787 277315 Retail pharmacy www.clarepharmacy.co.uk Clare Physiotherapy Practice Denise Winfield 01787 278800 Physiotherapy denise@clarepractice.fsnet.co.uk Cobbles Bed & Breakfast Alastair Tuffill 01787 277539 Bed & Breakfast Accommodation www.cobblesclare.co.uk/ David Burr Estate Agents Nicholas Mills 01787 277811 Estate Agency www.davidburr.co.uk/ David Pryke Motor Repairs David Pryke 01787 278016 Motor repairs   F D Salter Antiques David Salter 01787 277693 Antiques dealer & retail www.salterantiques.co.uk/ Focus Publications Howard Jackson 01787 278327 Publications www.clarefocus.org/ Guildhall Surgery Trish Cooper 01787 277523 General practitioners & health clinic www.guildhallsurgery.co.uk/ Hildane Ltd Haydn Hertz 01787 277041 Insurance Consultants & General Business   Hudgies Hardware David Sleath 01787 278045 Hardware & General Store, paints, tools, kitchenware   Hurst Bakery Julie Moody 01787 277580 Bakery   J R Humphrey & Sons Mark Humphrey 01787 277294 Family butcher   J.A.P Architects Lee Frere 01787 279490 Architects  www.japarchitects.co.uk John Martin (Builders) Ltd Andrew Martin 01787 277526 Building contractors   Knights CountryKitchens Gema Copsey 01787 277914 Dsigners & manufacturers of bespoke kitchen furniture www.knightscountrykitchens.co.uk/ Lloyds TSB Howard Barnard 01787 374935 Banking     Martin & Sons Roy Gwinnell 01787 279239 Funeral directors   Natty Netty Janette Crompton-Rooks 01787 279239 Retail craft supplies www.nattynetty.co.uk Naturally You Chele Brown 01787 278766 HealthFoods & Complimentary Therapies www.naturallyyou.co.uk Neptune Swimming Pools Tony Dunmow 01440 713355 Simming Pools www.neptunepools.co.uk Newsagents Sri Srihanan 01787 277224 Newsagents & Post Office     Number One Café & Delicatessen Richard Palmer 01787 278932 Delicatessen & café Passion Flowers Kari-Anne Stone 01787 278834 Florists Perry Douglass David Perry 01787 277045 Chartered Accountant Pryke Building Contractors Philip Pryke 01440 785461 Property Developers & General Builders familypryke@btconnect.com Roter Homecare Roland Carson 01787 277593 uPVC Cladding & Rainwater Systems www.roterhomecare.co.uk Sea Pictures Gallery Sarah Pugh 01787 279024 Art Gallery www.seapicturesgallery.com/ Ship Stores Debra Bowles 01787 27834 Guest House www.ship-stores.co.uk Talking Heads Mandy Gibbs 01787 277238 Hair Salon   The Bell Andy Turner 01787 277741 Guest House, Restaurant, Public House www.thebellhotel-clare.com/ The Cock Inn Simon Eichhorn 01787 277391 Public House & Restaurant   The Gallery Mike Roper 01787 278717 Art Gallery   Wayman & Long Robert Wade 01787 277375 Solicitors