Stephen Fry, Chief Executive of Hounslow Chamber Of Commerce Talks To SalesNet
Ask anyone who has ever visited the London Borough of Hounslow what they thought of it and in all probability the response is unlikely to be a positive one. Tired, dirty and in urgent need of regeneration are some of the responses that are likely to be aired. So why on earth would Stephen Fry, former director of The Southampton and Fareham Chamber of Commerce, living in one of the most beautiful spots in the country on the edge of The New Forest, decide to up sticks to an area that is more EastEnders than Howards Way?
West Quay Retail Park
“I’d done all I could in Hampshire,” says Fry after a highly successful spell with the local Chamber as Director of Planning and Transport Issues; a role in which he oversaw the development of Southampton’s West Quay Retail Park, one of Europe’s largest. The new Chief Executive of the Hounslow Chamber of Commerce, (he took up the role in October 2011), can see distinct similarities between Southampton and Hounslow. “Both have a population of around 250,000, both are home to 10,000 businesses and both have ports.”
Heathrow Airport Central To Plans
Heathrow remains central to much of what Fry is aiming to achieve in his role, but he is keen to ensure that all businesses in the borough benefit from the decision to turn the Chamber into a Limited Company from January 2012. This is when all companies within Hounslow will automatically become free members of the Chamber in an innovative move that Fry hopes will lead to a 250% increase in paid membership over the next two years.
The aim is for the Chamber to be able to offer business to business support in the community with local companies having access to a range of professional services such as financial planning and legal resources. This he believes will not only aid local traders as they battle the uncertainties of the economy, but also help to stimulate growth in the area. Not that it stops there. Already Fry is putting his past experiences to good use by overseeing two major development projects that will help to guarantee jobs and business growth for years to come.
Hounslow Regeneration
New projects to regenerate both Brentford High Street and Hounslow Town Centre are due to go before the planning committee in 2012 and Fry believes that if passed, the landscape of the Borough will change both aesthetically and psychologically. “We’re aiming to give the business community as well the residents of the Borough something to be proud of. New retail, social and leisure outlets will bring not only jobs and growth, but also pride, which is a very valuable resource to have within a community.”
No Public Funding
As a man who comes from the heart of a boating community, Fry recognises that it’s not going to be all plain sailing and having previously owned a successful B2B marketing and exhibition company, he understands the need to get his message across in a cost-effective, professional and creative way. “Hounslow Chamber doesn’t rely on public funding. That allows us to be more flexible in our approach to getting things done. For example a partnership with a B2B telemarketing agency would make perfect sense in helping us to hit our targets for increased paid memberships while at the same time promoting what we are trying to achieve to the whole business community.”
Clearly the Hounslow Chamber Chief Executive has a strong vision for its future and local businesses can look forward to better times ahead. If plans for redevelopment get the approval he hopes for and the Chamber itself becomes a pivotal resource for the business community, then never mind Howards Way, he will have done it Fry’s Way.