The Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry is once more a presence for business in the Helderberg Basin.
Somerset West businessman Terry Gale, committee chairman of the Helderberg branch, re-launched the Chamber at a well attended function last Tuesday evening, at the Erinvale Hotel.
“What is going on in our community?” Mr Gale asked. “People do not feel safe in our main road, and we’ve seen a flight of traditional business as well. It’s time that we take back our main road, in both Somerset West and Strand.
“We want Friedman and Cohen to continue to thrive, and we need to rejuvenate our main roads. I will be speaking to the likes of Woolworths in an effort to persuade them re-open their store in Strand,” he said.
“We need to make our streets safe again, and we are pursuing city improvement districts for both Somerset West and Strand in order to do so.”
Mr Gale, long-standing chairperson of the Exporters Club, and deputy chairman of the ports forum at the Cape Chamber, is determined to grow the voice of business in the Helderberg Basin, and he will also be reaching out to the Gordon’s Bay business forum.
Cape Chamber CEO Sid Peimer, who also attended the launch function, expressed his excitement at the relaunching of the chamber.
“I’m thrilled that business will once more be represented in the Helderberg by the Cape Chamber,” he said. “We have a full compliment of support staff at our office in Cape Town, who are dedicated to providing the much needed secretarial services the local Chamber will require in order to grow its membership base, and to prosper.”
He added the comprehensive range of business support services which the Chamber offers, which will be available to members.
Chapter supervisor Linda Roopen spoke to Bolander after the event. “We have 2 600 members in total, of which 120 are in the Helderberg,” she said. “We will be actively recruiting to grow our membership base, now that we have a new committee forming in the area.”
Past Cape Chamber president, John Middleton, played a key role on rejuvenating the Chamber movement on the Helderberg Basin.
“We had a couple of false starts,” he told Bolander, “but I am thrilled that Terry Gale has agreed to be chairman. He has enormous energy, and that is what we need to grow the voice of business in the Helderberg.”
The keynote speaker for the evening was Ian Fuhr, the founder and CEO of the Sorbet Group – which runs over 150 salons, nailbars and dry bars throughout the country. Sorbet London recently opened in the bustling suburbs of Muswell Hills and Crouch End.
The Sorbet Group anticipates to have 180 salons by the end of 2016. Mr Fuhr shared his business journey and the secrets of his success, in an insightful, witty and entertaining delivery.
