Projects and Initiatives
The Chamber is not just about supporting business; it has always believed in contributing to the wider life of the town and works in partnership with a wide range of local organisations, groups and events.
Partners include Otley Town Council, Otley Town Partnership, Rural Business Network, Victorian Fayre Committee, Otley Disability Advisory Group and Otley in Bloom.
Past achievements
Include establishing:
- Otley Town Watch - In the mid 1990s Otley Town Watch was set up by the Chamber as a crime prevention scheme for local businesses. It plays a vital part in making Otley a safer place to shop, work and visit.
- Otley Shop Watch - Otley & District Chamber of Trade and Commerce strongly support the work of Otley Shop Watch and hope to develop a closer relationship with the Shop Watch committee in the future.
- Otley Farmers Market - supporting and promoting small scale, quality agricultural producers
- Victorian Fayre, the annual town wide shop window dressing and street activity festive event much awaited every December
- Lobbying during 2008 to retain 4 hours parking on the public car park now incorporated into Sainsbury’s
Ongoing Projects
2010 will be an exciting year for the Chamber with a number of initiatives in development - the more members we have, the more progress we make!
Otley Chamber is currently progressing initiatives including:
- Otley Pound – investigating the potential for an alternative, supplemental local currency 'loyalty scheme' aimed at supporting local businesses by introducing into circulation Otley Pounds, redeemable by the public at participating retailers
- Light Up Otley – augmenting of the town's Christmas illuminations with the provision of white fairy lights for use in town centre shop windows by Chamber members during December
- Decluttering Otley's Streets - in partnership with Otley Town Coucil, removal of excessive signage, posts and street clutter to improve and reinstate the appearance of Otley as the traditional stone built town it should be and make the town more pedestrian friendly
Otley Chamber welcomes suggestions of other initiatives members may care to make.
