May Newsletter 2025
- Jane Brook
- May 31
- 5 min read
Welcome New Members!
Here comes the Sun!
Just a couple of weeks to go until our summer networking event and we really hope you can join us. It’s going to be a wonderful evening at the Rye Lawn Tennis Club with food from Tatners Street Kitchen and music from Logan Wilson. Let's hope the sun shines for us, but even if it doesn't, the clubhouse is the perfect place for a social event! The evening will also include some news and updates from:
Rye Pirates & Smugglers
The Rye BID
Rye News
ESCC Rural Business Grants Programme
Click here to get your tickets.
BID Update
The BID consultation process is now in full swing. If you’re a business located in the BID area in Rye then you’ll have received the first Rye BID newsletter which answers all of the frequently asked questions about BIDs. The newsletters go out by post as a legal requirement to ensure that the process is accountable but if you’ve not spotted it landing on your mat you can also visit www.ryebid.co.uk where you’ll find more information, details of the task group, the timeline for the work being undertaken, and the newsletter too.
Here's a chance for businesses to have a say in what they think would help trade thrive. Could we improve signage and footfall to some parts of town? Can we smarten-up areas, add floral displays and landscaping? Boost marketing, events, or parking options? Look at CCTV, or procurement savings (energy / card payments / waste removal for example), investment in our public loos, or activities to help encourage footfall in the winter months? What services do you need more of, or less of? No decisions have been made - and no one is being asked to commit to anything other than being part of the conversation.
In the light of local government reorganisation which will see Rother District Council disappear by 2028, the opportunity to help shape our own future in Rye is an important one to consider.
Remember the function of a BID rests entirely with the businesses contributing to it. A BID is a means by which funds raised by the businesses will be used only on projects decided by those same businesses. The BID task group now meets regularly to feed back the views of businesses in the town and discuss the ideas being put forward.
Capital Project Update
The tourism project is also now well underway. We’re in the build phase of the project now, and we’re also working with designers locally on carpark signs for the 7 public RDC controlled carparks and also the new information boards outside the train station.
Anti Social Behaviour Event - CCTV / DISC
The Chamber was invited by Cllr. Simon McGurk to have a stand at the ASB public meeting at Tilling Green Community Centre on Saturday 31st May. The meeting was very well attended with standing room only - such is the level of community concern.
The Police responded to a question about lack of surveillance with cameras about town, saying that CCTV can’t be installed in Rye due to lack of infrastructure, and that “it’s not possible”. We challenged that, and shared that in early 2025 the Chamber carried out a comprehensive, independent CCTV survey of the town and subsequently produced a report in March. We proposed to install a modern system at 10 carefully selected sites, monitored with AI and the intelligence fed back to the police. This project could become a reality if we can find a way to fund equipment, software licences, infrastructure and governance for a sustainable ongoing strategy.
CCTV schemes like this are regularly funded by business improvement districts (BIDs) throughout the UK and it is hoped that Rye businesses engage with the BID process to explore the possibilities further.
After the event a claim made to us regarding DISC (the online reporting platform for retail crime that was rolled out by RDC earlier in the year), that despite a comprehensive campaign and visits to businesses by local PSCO Demi Georghiou resulting in over 150 Rye businesses wanting to sign up, the the process has inexplicably come to a halt at RDC. We are currently escalating this with RDC and will report back when we get some answers!
Rye Taxis Association
Rye Chamber lobbied RDC on behalf of the Rye Taxis association for an increase in metered fares. The Rye Taxis Association cited drop in business generally, but particularly since the closure of Pontins combined with a rise in costs making a for a challenging trading environment. Rother District Council declined their request at this time. Following consideration of their request, RDC Head of Service determined that a fare increase is not currently justified. They maintain that the last fare increase was in April 2023 and fuel costs have reduced in the last two years.
We continue to lobby RDC for further news of the Pontins site. We are assured there has been some contact with Britannia Hotels (owners of Pontins) in the last fortnight and we are hopeful of some further news on the follow up meeting with them that was promised last November.
Mayor Making
Rye Chamber was delighted to attend Mayor Making on the 5th May.
Town Council Meeting
Rye Chamber attended town council meetings on the 12th and 19th of May. We were pleased to attend the ceremony to award Barry Nealon an Honorary Freeman of the town of Rye, recognising his exceptional services to the local community through his work with the hospital, the community bus and of course Rye Leisure Centre.
Keeping an eye on regional trade, investment and growth.
Rye Chamber is a member of the Association of Chambers in East Sussex (ACES) who are in turn stakeholders of the newly launched Gatwick Region Airport Economic Zone. We thought our members might like to hear about it!
Stewart Wingate, Chief Executive, London Gatwick, said: “A new economic powerhouse has arrived to drive growth and investment across this outstanding region with London Gatwick at its heart."
The full press release can be found here.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:
Marsh Line Action Group (MLAG) AGM
Friday 6:30pm - June 6 at the Tudor Room of the Mermaid Inn
Chamber Summer Social
Wednesday 18th June 6pm-9pm, Rye Tennis Club Tickets
💚 Rye Chamber & Wildlife Sussex Coast Macmillan Mighty Hike
Friday 20th - 23rd June - Ballycastle, NI Donate
ACES 5 A Side Football Tournament 12th July - Eastbourne Sports Park - contact us for more details
NOT A MEMBER?
Join over 130 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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