Penzance Chamber of Commerce

• New law changes for firms with one or more employees
• Local firm receives international safety award
• Web-site proves a big hit
• Good response for harbour appeal
• Lack of response to questions to Councillors
• Lights help required
• Penzance's Mount Prospect Hotel - Prospects look bright
• New Members
• August Meeting

New law changes for firms with one or more employees
Safety UK launch posters

All businesses employing one or more members of staff must, with effect from 1st July 2000, display the revised (coloured) Health and Safety Law poster; failure to do so could result in a £5000.00 fine. The posters are available from a number of sources including local stationery shops, such as Chamber member Goldcrest, or HSE Books (phone: 01787-881165).

The right hand spaces of the poster must be completed with the address of the enforcement authority responsible for your business, in the case of shops, offices, hotels, restaurants etc. will be the Environmental Health Department, Penwith District Council, St Clare, Penzance. Higher risk businesses come under the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) whose address is Ballard House, West Hoe Road, Plymouth. If you are unsure of which enforcement authority you come under please contact Safety UK on 01736-361007/352018 for free advice. Under this section must be recorded the address of the Employment Medical Advisory Service (EMAS) which is the same as that of the HSE.

In the central section must be recorded the name and responsibilities of the individual who has been appointed as the 'competent person' with regard Health and Safety Issues. Such an appointment is a legal requirement and can be the owner of the business, Managing Director, employee and/or external consul-tant/practitioner. The left hand boxes must be completed with the details of employee safety representatives within the company.

In the case of any difficulties or queries please do not hesitate to contact Safety UK for free advice.

Local firm receives international safety award

Safety UK is a local firm of Health & Safety and Food Hygiene Practitioners based at the Penwith Business Centre at Long Rock. The firm, started by Mike Waters (Chairman of the Chamber) has just been awarded ISO 9002, the International quality management award of the International Standards Organisation. The award is the result of Independent assessment by a highly reputable International management company that proved that SAFETY UK always maintains the highest standard of work for their clients, which is achieved by a dedicated team of highly qualified and experienced professionals.

The assessment process not only audited the management systems in place but also looked at numerous other aspects including the way in which the client's requirements are met from the point of initial contact, through to delivery of services and the after support provided. The award catapults SAFETY UK into the upper echelons of safety consultants and practitioners such as the British Safety Council, which is the largest Independent occupational safety organisation in Europe.

From their Head Office in Penzance, SAFETY UK has clients throughout England (as far North as Sunderland) and in Wales; they have recently opened an office in Bristol and their Plymouth branch is opening In September. They serve local, national and International clients encompassing all types and sizes of business providing Health & Safety and Food Hygiene management and training services as well as Danger-ous Goods Safety Advisors.

In addition to their ISO 9002 award, SAFETY UK have also been accredited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health as Health & Safety and Food Hygiene training providers. All staff at SAFETY UK are delighted to have received such a presigious award, as Mike said: "Our mission statement has always been to fully understand, meet and exceed the expectations of our clients in respect of quality, reliability and worth. The award of ISO 9002 provides us with formal recognition of this fact, we have always had the chests and now we have the medal!"

Further Information can be obtained by contacting SAFETY UK's head office on 01736-361007/352018.

Web-site proves a big hit

Penzance’s own Website http://www.penzance.co.uk organised by the Chamber of Commerce, is now attracting 23,000 'hits' per month and increasing further. Experience has shown that the trend of Internet users is increasing and that business possibilities are endless both for new and existing businesses. Many hoteliers and guest houses are reporting that most of their bookings are now being made through their own websites.

The Chamber offers the possibility of linking individual's websites to http://www.penzance.co.uk at a very small charge which, given the level of hits currently being recorded, makes use of our site extremely cost effective. If you are interested in the possibility, please contact Richard Hilder on Penzance 786328 or Email webmaster@penzance.co.uk.

Good response for harbour appeal

We have had a very good response to last months appeal for support for the proposed redevelopment of Penzance Harbour. The Chamber is now producing very large posters and car stickers to gain support and promote the redevelopment plans.

If anyone would like one contact Yvonne Neale on (01736) 719222.

Lack of response to questions to Councillors

On May 24, the Chamber wrote to all 34 PDC Councillors - to date 13 have replied. This is a disappointingly low number considering all that was required was answers to four questions.

They were whether or not Councillors supported the Chamber idea that car parking charges should not be increased when the present charging rates come to an end in 2003, and if councillors supported a marina for Penzance. By looking at funding now, the Chamber had hoped PDC would find other ways of generating income it has obtained via increased parking rates. Below are the Councillors opinions:

The Chamber would like to thank the Councillors who replied.

Lights help required

One of the undoubted highlights of Christmas are the numerous light displays throughout the streets of Penzance.

Traders of Causewayhead and Market Jew Street organise the lights in their own areas with Hazel Trembath and a small band of helpers co-ordinating the rest of the town. The lights are bought and paid for through the donations of local traders, small grants from Town and District councils and through many fund raising events.

On Lions Day, (July 23), Hazel has organised a Tombola stall on the Promenade, it is hoped, all readers will support. On the last Thursday of each month a Quiz Night is held at the Bath Inn, the next one being on 27th July.

The Christmas lights rely totally on the fund raising activities of a small group. Volunteers are urgently required to help with fund raising, collection of donations, checking bulbs, erecting the lights etc.

Without the commitment of a small band there would be no Christmas lights in Penzance! If you would like to volunteer, please contact 01736-719222 or come along to the next meeting at the Bath Inn on Tuesday August 15 at 7.30pm.

Couple work to improve Penzance's Mount Prospect Hotel - Prospects look bright

The Mount Prospect Hotel has been run by Steven and Yvonne Hill since they bought the hotel nearly two years ago. The couple decided to move to Cornwall from Rochdale with their four sons after visiting the area, with which they were already familiar as Yvonne's parents live in Fowey, and were only looking to buy somewhere in Cornwall.

Since taking over, the couple have been working hard on extensive improvements throughout the 21 bedroom hotel, with many of the rooms being redecorated, and equipped with new furniture. The reception area has also been refurbished, featuring a beautiful 18th century fireplace, which was bought locally.

The hotel already has 3 star status with the AA and RAC, and been given a rating of 67%, which is already the highest grading of all Penzance's hotels. Steven and Yvonne are hoping to improve on this, and there are already more plans for improvements. The restaurant will be renovated, with the plan to include a terrace area, providing wonderful views of Penzance Harbour and Mount's Bay.

Head chef Lawrence Butcher joined the hotel this year. Lawrence was the head chef at the Land's End Hotel, where he was responsible for gaining two AA rosettes. He tries to use as much local produce as possible. Steven and Yvonne are hoping to encourage more people to come in for dinner, and are happy to welcome customers who are not staying at the hotel.

As well as the restaurant, there is a private dining room which can seat up to 16 people. This can be used by groups coming in for dinner, as well as private meetings and functions. They are happy to cater for weddings and parties, or business meetings for up to 100 people, and are hoping to increase their bookings in the area over the coming years. They already have experience of looking alter many business people visiting the area, and catering for large parties of local people such as the Penzance Rotarians, and the Twinning Association. Many local businesses have used the hotel to conduct interviews and provide training for employees, with regional management of many large companies choosing to stay at the hotel when visiting.

The hotel has a large number of visitors from the USA and Europe as well as many visitors returning to the hotel time and time again from the British Isles.

New Members

We are pleased to welcome two new members to the Chamber. They are:

August Meeting

The next Chamber Meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 1st at the Queens Hotel, The Promenade, Penzance at 7.30pm.

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PENZANCE - THE PLACE TO BE

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