March Newsletter 2025
- Jane Brook
- Mar 31
- 9 min read
Welcome New Members!
BID update
Thanks to everyone who responded to the call out for the BID Task Group. On the 4th March at the George Hotel our BID agency Mosaic gave a very clear presentation on the next steps to be taken on our BID journey.
As a consequence of that evening we now have our initial BID Task Group in place and we’re excited to share that our first meeting took place on Monday 31st March in the Silver Room of the Kino Cinema.
Going forward, the Task Group will meet every month to steer the BID campaign right up to the execution of the ballot which we are aiming for in October.
Visit by the Business Minister
We have been working with The Department of Business & Trade together with our MP Helena Dollimore’s office to organise a ministerial visit by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports) Gareth Thomas, MP on Tuesday 1st April. The afternoon will involve a walkabout and a roundtable discussion. We have provided contact information for businesses in retail and hospitality - as requested by the Minister’s office and those selected for either the walkabout or the roundtable will be contacted direct.
Levelling Up - AI Tourism Project Update
We are at last signing off on the legal agreement with RDC so that this project can commence. We’re poised and ready to hit the ground running and will have exciting news by this time next month.
BIG changes to Trading Standards Rules - Are you ready?
As of April 6th, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act) comes into effect, bringing significant changes to consumer protection laws. The Chamber particularly welcomes the fact that FAKE REVIEWS are now a banned practice!
Chamber member On Tap recently wrote about another feature of the Act regarding DRIP PRICING in their latest blog. If you sell online, this will be a useful read. Basically, if the consumer will have to pay a mandatory charge in order to purchase, receive or use the advertised product then that charge must be included in the headline price, NOT at Checkout, NOT at the point the customer recieves the bill! Such mandatory charges include:
• Administration fees e.g. booking or processing fees, platform charges, listing fees,
cleaning charges etc
• Delivery charges where consumers cannot arrange for their own collection or
delivery
• Mandatory cover or service charges in a restaurant
• Local taxes or other fees that become payable on arrival at hotels or on departure at
an airport
• Pick-up fees or mandatory insurance cover required for renting a car
• Joining fees for new members of a gym
We attended a CPD session for the DMCC Act 2024 for Businesses by The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) who are urging businesses to:
Make sure your policies, procedures and documents are in line with the updated Unfair Commercial Practices provisions
Ensure your price indications include all mandatory fees
The CTSI have developed a business companion guide and videos which will soon include a section on The DMCC Act, so please do visit this site soon to make sure your are keeping compliant.
International Women's Day
We had an exceptionally positive breakfast meeting to mark International Women’s Day on Saturday 8th March. Twenty women-led businesses were in the room and we enjoyed a fabulous brunch from the newly relaunched Fletcher’s House. Thanks to Lisa and her staff for looking after us so well. We’re delighted that Lisa was so inspired by the event she joined the Chamber on the spot! Our VIP guest was Hastings & Rye MP Helena Dollimore and she spoke of the need for more women’s voices at every level of government, and she championed our call for women in Rye to start thinking about whether they could step forward to run for town council in 2026. The atmosphere in the room was optimistic, thoughtful, supportive and ambitious and it was a great pleasure to champion some of the exceptional women we have running businesses in and around our town. Watch the video on instagram
Annual Town Meeting
A new format to the annual town meeting meant that Rye Chamber had a stall at the event for residents and businesses to stop and chat and ask questions about our work.
The event, held at Tilling Green Community Centre Thursday 6th March was a rather less feisty evening that on previous occasions which was surprising given the changes to local government now actively being progressed. There were few questions from residents.
If you have yet to contribute to the two consultations currently underway on devolution please note that these are still open and we’d urge to to make your views known, the future of our town will be impacted by both local government reorganisation and devolution and so it’s imperative that our voices are considered at this stage. Please note the questions for each consultation are the same BUT the data for each is being collected twice for different analysis – once by ESCC and once by RDC, so please complete both if you can.
English Tourism Week
In collaboration with Visit 1066 we secured another visit from MP Helena Dollimore for English Tourism Week which ran from 14th -23rd March. The theme this year was ‘Supporting People and Places to Drive Growth’ the emphasis being on the need to create robust year round destinations and with it skills development for careers opportunities within tourism and hospitality not just seasonal roles. Helena visited the Heritage Centre where manager Simon Parsons made clear the challenge.
She also spent time at The Mermaid talking to Judith Blincow about career opportunities within the industry and in specific – The Mermaid’s long held policy of home-grown talent, creating career pathways for local students.
Both spoke to Helena about the need for pressure to be applied for the reintroduction of international rail services to Ashford to help boost tourism to the region.
Camber Concerns
The Chamber was due to attend a stakeholder meeting with RDC and Pontins owners – Britannia Hotels on the 19th March. Unfortunately, this was postponed, but we will continue to apply pressure to RDC to get another date in the diary as a matter of urgency.
During the month we also met with business owners in Camber to discuss their specific concerns and challenges for the season ahead. We are very well attuned to the issues at stake here and will continue to lobby for the urgent business support needed for Camber.
Pirates & Smugglers Day
Rye Chamber met with oraganisers of the newly formed Rye Pirates & Smugglers Group who are soon to announce a Pirates & Smugglers Day in Rye this summer with a view to it becoming a regular event. We were pleased to offer guidance and advice on running an event in Rye and the considerations needed for working alongside businesses in town in order to make it a success and to bring benefits for all. This year they intend to start small with a walk through the town starting at the Gun Gardens and ending at the Strand Quay where they will have some stalls and possibly a BBQ. The event will be in aid of charity. They have secured permission from RDC for use of the Gun Gardens and we have subsequently put them in touch with the Harbourmaster to progress with their plans.
Soggy Annual Litter Pick
Once again we held our annual Litter Pick to support the Great British Spring Clean #LoveWhereYouLive campaign. Huge thanks to our hardy team of volunteers who braved the incessant drizzle to keep the town tidy. We’re pleased to say that the centre of town is kept immaculate by the daily litter picking service provided by RDC, but the worst offenders are the private car parks and this year, the cricket salts. For those interested in a forensic analysis of our finds: there were definitely fewer disposable coffee cups than previous years which is good, but still an awful lot of (full) dog poo bags just abandoned, disguarded vapes, and of course the annual random item of underwear – this year, a bra which was found by new Chamber member – Owen Thompson of Newo Dance. There isn’t a prize for this – but perhaps their should be?!
Town Council Meeting
Rye Chamber attended the town council meeting on Monday 24th March. The main point of discussion was raised by Cllr Hansen as to how better Councillors could engage with parishioners and stakeholders in town. We were disappointed to hear that many Councillors already feel they doing enough when it comes to listening to the community when the experience of many from this side of the fence is quite contrary to that. We will be submitting our views to the Town Clerk for consideration by the Councillors at the next meeting. If you have views on this matter that you’d like to contribute for us to include in our report, please do email us info@ryechamber.org
Sussex Greenways
We met with Nick Hanna of Sussex Greenways to discuss his vision for making Rye a cycle friendly town and offer some advice and guidance both on funding and also on the business opportunities that his ambitious plans might present. His well researched plans for a network of cycle paths around the town include proposals for a swing bridge at Rock Point.
Nick is holding a meeting on Wednesday 2nd April at the Queens Head at 7pm for anyone who would like to find out more.
Air BnB / Second Homes research
The comprehensive research that the Chamber undertook to present to the RDC Task & Finish group looking into this matter, has now been requested and duly shared with Camber Councillors, Col. Anthony Kimber, and also with our MP Helena Dollimore.
The presentation made clear that this is a complex problem needing a balanced approach in a town that relies almost exclusively on the visitor economy but also has an affordable housing shortage. You can read our full report here:
Rye Mobility Awareness Day - Sponsorship Opportunity
Wheelchair users, mobility scooter riders and parents with pushchairs can struggle getting around Rye. Dan Lake and the Tilling Green Residents Association are planning a special Mobility Awareness Day on Saturday 26th April starting 10am at Tilling Green Community Centre. They will be walking, pushing, riding or wheeling into Rye Town to check out how easy or difficult it is to navigate roads, and access shops, restaurants and public spaces.
The group are appealing for support and ideas from the community and if possible anyone who can help supply wheelchairs and funding opportunities or sponsors to help towards publicity and food. The Chamber have made a contribution.
The organisers are hoping for people to come along in pairs so that able bodied people can use a wheelchair and take turns to push each other around the town and high street whilst completing a set of various challenges that disabled people struggle with on a daily basis. The day will finish at The Rye Bowls Club for refreshments and reflection. Can you help? Contact daniellake8@hotmail.com
Littlegate Farm Big Cream Tea
The Big Cream Tea event returns this spring - events like this are so beneficial to Little Gate as they raise awareness of their work while raising vital funds which help them to continue supporting adults with learning disabilities, autism, or both into paid employment. This year they are fundraising for their Young Rangers Programme. This programme meets at weekends and during school holidays throughout the year and is for children and young people aged 8 - 21 with Autism, Learning Disabilities and/or Complex Needs.
Sunday 18th May, 2pm Littlegate Farm £15pp advance bookings only
Behavioural Insights Research - Alcohol and Smoking
East Sussex Alcohol Alliance and East Sussex Tobacco Partnership are collaborating with ICE, independent behaviour change experts to understand why people who live in East Sussex drink alcohol or smoke and if they wanted to cut down, what type of support would help. They have approached the Chamber to promote the opportunity for employees in Routine and Manual roles to take part in this important Behavioural Insights research:
Routine and Manual Occupations:
Postal worker
Machine operative
Security guard
Caretaker
Catering assistant
Receptionist
HGV/Van driver
Cleaner
Porter
They'll be able to sign up for a virtual focus group or 121 interview and receive £40 for taking part. Your staff can sign up using this link.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:
Visit by the Business Minister
Tuesday 1st April
Sussex Greenways Meeting
Weds 2nd April Queens Head at 7pm.
Your Experience Counts – Job Fair, Eastbourne
Wednesday 3 April 10.00am – 12.30pm. DWP Jobcentre Plus are running a jobs fair for those who are 50 plus at the View Hotel . This is a free event for Local Employers & Providers. If you would like further Information or to reserve a free stand, please contact: eastsussex.ea@dwp.gov.uk & add "Your Experience Counts Event" in the subject line.
The GOOD Future Event Hastings Campus
Saturday 5th April - East Sussex College
Rye Disability Awareness Day
Saturday 26th April starting 10am at Tiling Green Community Centre & finishing at Rye Bowls Club on the salts for refreshments.
Rye Bowls Club Open Day
Sunday 27th April from 2pm - The Bowls Club, Rye
Little Gate Farm Big Cream Tea
Sunday 18th May, 2pm Littlegate Farm £15pp advance bookings only
💚 Rye Chamber & Wildlife Sussex Coast Macmillan Mighty Hike
Friday 20th - 23rd June - Ballycastle, NI
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See you next month!
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