August Newsletter 2025
- Jane Brook
- Aug 31
- 10 min read
Updated: Sep 1
Ashford International Station
The Good Growth Foundation released a study earlier this month that identified that Ashford International could deliver up tot £2.7bn in economic growth for the South East over the next five years if international services are restored.
This report has largely come about thanks to the continued lobbying from our MP Helena Dollimore; “The loss of Ashford International means more than just trains to the people I represent – the impact on job opportunities, tourism and links with our European neighbours is huge. Restoring international services at Ashford is key to unlocking the international growth we need along the South Coast.”
You can read the full report here
The Chamber been asked to build on this work by providing business case studies on the impact that the closure of Ashford International has had. If you are able to provide data and comment we would like to hear from you. Please email us at info@ryechamber.org
Image Credits: Ashford Borough Council
Levelling Up – AI Tourism Project Update
This multi-platform project now spans signage, website, video and the AI tool. All bar the AI tool are ready and waiting in the wings. The AI tool itself is still in its testing phase we are moving this forward apace but it really is down to man-hours now and the time commitment to this is considerable. Launch is likely to be mid October.
Update on Levelling Up Revenue Project - BID consultation
The Chamber attended a further BID Task Group meeting in early August to help begin shaping a draft plan for eligible businesses in the BID area to consider. The Task Group intend to issue the plan to businesses later this month for further consultation.
Do you live in Rye? This survey is important.
You may (or may not) be aware that the Government is seeking to make changes to who delivers ‘local government’ services at regional and local level.
Within the next couple of years, the district/borough councils and county council in East Sussex will be abolished and (probably) replaced with a unitary council for the area. Above this, there will be a new tier – a directly-elected Mayor-led combined strategic authority (covering East and West Sussex, and Brighton & Hove), responsible for strategic planning, transport, economic development etc.
Parish and Town councils (like Rye) will remain.
This re-organisation, the first since 1974 - when Rye Borough Council was abolished and Rother District Council and Rye Town Council were created – presents Rye Town Council with an opportunity to acquire some of Rother District Council’s numerous assets in Rye. These include areas like the Salts and the Gun Gardens (amongst others) as well as the Landgate; Rye’s litterbins and bus shelters; and its car parks.
It should be noted that it is likely that any Rother assets not transferred to Rye Town Council will be passed to the new East Sussex Unitary Council.
The Town Council believe that Rye’s assets can be better looked after – and services improved – at a local level. It is required to submit expressions of interest to Rother District and, as such, is seeking residents’ priorities.
There is unlikely to be any associated funding for the running costs and maintenance of these services. So, the Town Council is also asking how residents would feel about a potential increase in their Council Tax precept, to enable the Town Council to take on the provision of additional services. Currently Rye is charged a ‘special expense’ by Rother for the maintenance of some of these assets, however it is expected that this would cease in the event Rye Town Council had the ownership of them.
Residents are asked to click on the link to complete a short survey on their priorities and views on future funding. The deadline for responses is midnight on Sunday 14 September.
You can also contact Rye Town Council to request a paper copy of the survey: townhall@ryetowncouncil.gov.uk or 01797 223902
Update on Station Approach Loos
The Loo Group, as it is informally known, is now meeting regularly to discuss further developing the CIO approach to tackling the long-term solution for the Station Approach Loos. A further meeting on this will take place this week. We will continue to update on this.
Rother District Council has advised that Pontin’s owners, Britannia Hotels, have resumed communication and have promised to provide a further meeting date. This is unlikely to materialise without further lobbying but will continue to monitor for progress.
FESTIVAL FEVER
Today, 31st August, is the last day of meteorlogical summer and 'back to school' vibe is hanging heavy in the air, we look back on two super-busy and blisteringly hot festivals in August.
The first Rye Pirates & Smugglers Day on 9th August was a great family day our and real spectacle, bringing welcome footfall to the town in an event that promises to become a firm feature of the Rye Festival calendar with next year's event already set!
Zoe Britton from the Order of the Brethren of The Sea, said.
"The very first Rye Pirates and Smugglers Day was a huge success - a thank you to all our sponsors for making it an amazing local community event. The day started with a procession through the town lead by the town crier and Mayor, ryebellion and drumskullz joined to keep the pirates and smugglers entertained. Thank you to all the pirates and smugglers across the UK who attended from a far and joined the brethren of the sea crew in making such an memorable day for Rye and the community. We are busy planning 2026 - Mark ye calendars for 8.8.26 where more adventures and shananigans await. We have exciting plans for 2026 find and follow us on Facebook and Instagram and get in touch if you'd like to sponsor us or involved.
image credits: KT Bruce
Rye Jazz and Blues Festival delights thousands with four days of World-Class music and sunshine!
Rye came alive with the vibrant sounds of jazz and blues over the August Bank Holiday weekend, as the Rye International Jazz and Blues Festival celebrated its thirteenth successful edition. Held from Thursday 21 to Monday 25 August, the festival welcomed thousands of music lovers to the historic town, basking in glorious sunshine and an
unforgettable atmosphere. This year’s programme showcased a wonderfully eclectic mix of live performances, with seven exceptional headline concerts hosted at the stunning St Mary’s Church, Rye.
Audiences were treated to unforgettable sets from acclaimed artists including Nubiyan Twist, Toby Lee, Courtney Pine, Ian Shaw, Polly Gibbons & James Pearson, Ruby Turner, Davina and the Vagabonds, and the James Taylor Quartet.
Beyond the headline concerts at St Mary’s church Rye’s streets and venues were alive with music. A vibrant fringe programme offered a mix of free and ticketed events at local favourites such as The Grapevine Champagne and Jazz Bar, The Winery, The Ship Inn, Layfield’s, The Olde Bell, William the Conqueror at Rye Harbour, and The Lookout Rye.
The festival's outdoor performances brought an electric energy to the town centre, with free live music drawing large crowds to the Butter Market. Performers included The Marcus Burton Trio, The Connor Selby Trio, The Roger Hubbard Trio, The Fat Brass Marching Band, The Dom Pipkin Trio, The James Morton Trio, The Violet Jive, and Martin Harley, each delivering standout sets to delighted audiences.
Festival Director Ian Bowden shared his pride in the event's ongoing positive impact:
“I am incredibly proud of what the Jazz and Blues Festival brings to the beautiful town of Rye, and the joy it gives to those who attend. The festival continues to make a positive cultural and economic contribution to the region, attracting visitors from across the UK, including London, Birmingham, Leeds, Brighton, Eastbourne, Canterbury, and many more. Visitors not only enjoy the music, but also contribute to the local economy by staying in hotels, dining in restaurants, and exploring Rye’s wonderful shops, boutiques, and pubs.”
The festival is delivered by a small, enthusiastic, and independent team, with a strong focus on quality, inclusivity, and community engagement. Ian, along with fellow directors Vicki Haxton and Kate Glover, extended heartfelt thanks to the town of Rye, local venues that hosted live music, the musicians and artists who performed, local businesses who supported the festival through advertising, the generous sponsors and private patrons, the dedicated
volunteers, the brilliant production team at On Stage, and photographers KT and Martin Bruce and Tony Ham for capturing the magic of the festival. The festival also proudly supports Rye-based charity The Music Well, raising an impressive
£3,000 through public donations this year alone!
Ian acknowledged the financial pressures facing live events in the current climate:
“Organising a festival of this scale is increasingly challenging. Many festivals have paused or disappeared altogether due to rising costs. We have worked incredibly hard to keep the Rye Jazz and Blues Festival alive, but we do need more help and support moving forward. The festival team is already looking ahead to future editions and is actively seeking new partnerships with local businesses and supporters. If you would like to be involved in the 2026 festival, we would love to hear from you. Whether through sponsorship, hosting events, or volunteering, your contribution can help sustain this unique and much-loved event.”
For more information or to express your interest, please contact:
Ian Bowden, Festival Director on ian@ryejazz.com
Image credits : KT Bruce , Mary & Mick Design.
Green Waves Community Festival
A fitting end to the summer was another new festival, Green Waves over at Tilling Green.
Several hundred people attend the event at Tilling Green Community Centre over the course of the weekend, including dozens of kids on Friday night who participated in a fun pizza and dance party. The most successful part of the event was the high level of attendance from residents of Tilling Green who, even though their attendance was free for all ages, many generously donated anyway. Chamber member Dena Smith-Ellis from Healthful Essentials reflected,
"It was lovely to see everyone connecting, reminiscing, laughing, dancing, and having a joyous time together. Despite occasional rain showers, the festival powered on, thanks to an incredible team of volunteers, vendors, and performers who showed their perseverance and resilience. Huge thanks to everyone, including our MC's, Niki Stuart and Andy Croft, as well as Mayor Andy Stuart, Dan and Donna Lake, Graham Ellis, and an amazing team of planned and spontaneous volunteers, in addition to the stall holders, performers, sound technicians, and other organizations that lent stuff or staff to support us."
The Green Waves Team are already looking forward to planning next year’s event!
Image credit Dena Smith-Elllis
More Festival action is just around the corner!
September 11th marks the opening of the 54th year of the Rye Arts Festival, with programming spanning literature, wildlife, journalism, music, politics, theatre, film, workshops, and heritage happening in venues across town. Whether you’re drawn by cultural conversation, musical provenance, dramatic storytelling, or exploring local history on foot, there’s something for nearly every interest and age group. Tickets and full programme here.
Rye Harvest Wine & Food Fair - keeping it local
The Rye Harvest Wine & Food Fair is back for its second year, taking place on the opening weekend of the Rye Arts Festival, 13th & 14th September on the Cricket Salts.
The fair will showcase outstanding local vineyards, brewers and food producers and performers. New for this year there is a local artisan makers tent and a food theatre, offering insightful talks, tastings, cooking demos and masterclasses throughout the weekend and much more!
All festival organisers rely heavily on good will and strategic collaborations and also new this year for Rye Harvest, thanks to Chamber member Community Compost Solutions, the fair is a Zero Waste Event. Tickets and full programme here.
Also keeping it local, the Sussex Six Campaign is launching in Rother.
Rother District Council has commissioned Natural Partnerships CIC to create a special Rother Food & Drink Business Directory on their website - THE Sussex directory for local food & drink. This will help make it easy for buyers in the hospitality and retail industry to find our great local food and drink producers. It will also promote the wonderful food shops, pubs, restaurants, caterers and cafés in the Rother District which sell and serve local Sussex produce to the public. The goal is to help strengthen the link between our local food and drink businesses, supporting the local economy by keeping it local and being more sustainable by reducing food miles.
If you produce, serve or sell local Sussex food and drink, you can sign yourself up for the directory FREE by going to the website and clicking the GET LISTED button under the Sussex map on the home page and filling in your details. You will then be added to both the Sussex-wide directory and the new Rother Directory.
The Sussex Six Campaign is coming to Rother in September, inviting food & drink shops and hospitality businesses to make the Sussex Six Pledge to take on at least six additional locally-produced food and drink products in the coming year. In return, businesses will receive free publicity and support. Sussex will be launched in Rother on 8th September. If you have a local food & drink business and would like an invitation to the event, please email: hilary@sussexfoodnetwork.co.uk
Small Business Saturday – Visibility Day, 4th September
Small Business Saturday is partnering with Lloyds Bank to offer a day of free webinars to help small businesses get seen and grow in confidence. Their ‘Get Engagement’
session is all about getting people to interact - whether it’s likes, comments, shares or DMs.
How to create the kind of content that sparks a response, how to keep things consistent, and what actually works when it comes to building a community online.
You'll learn:
- Who your customer really is and what you're really selling
- How to create thumb-stopping content that sparks engagement
- How to speak to your customer in a way that encourages your audience to take action
- How to use social media to build a meaningful community for your business
You can sign up for the session here.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:
Tenterden & District Chamber of Commerce - 3rd September, networking at Chapel Down Vineyard. 5.30pm - reserve your place via secretary@tenterdenchamber.org
Small Business Saturday Visibility Day - 4th September register online
Rye Arts Festival 11th - 28th September at venue near you!
Rye Harvest Wine & Food Fair 13th & 14th September, Rye Cricket Salts
NOT A MEMBER?
Join over 140 businesses that benefit from the work of the Rye Chamber. It costs just £50 a year - regardless of the size of your business. Visit our website to learn more.
See you next month!
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