Folkestone and Hythe Business Advisory Board
The Folkestone and Hythe Business Advisory Board (SBAB) is a business-led forum established in 2013 to provide the business community with a voice and act as a ‘sounding board’ for local and national policies that aim to encourage economic growth in Folkestone and Hythe.
At each meeting there are regular updates from Board members that are all from key business sectors in the area who share their experiences about current trading conditions. There are also discussions on initiatives that support economic growth and affect the business community. Meetings are chaired by Geoff Miles of Maidstone Studios and also Chairman of Kent and Medway Economic Partnership. They are held bi-monthly, with opportunities to network over a light breakfast beforehand.
Luke Quilter of Sleeping Giant Media said: “The Folkestone and Hythe Business Advisory Board is a fantastic opportunity for local business to get more information about local events, initiatives and schemes that may benefit them. It is also a good opportunity to feed back to the local council about areas that could be improved. They in turn can effect change to help resolve any issues and help develop the local businesses.”
“The Folkestone and Hythe Business Advisory Board is a fantastic opportunity for local business to get more information about local events”
Peter Bettley of Strand House, Sir Roger De Haan’s Office, said: “Folkestone and Hythe Business Advisory Board is an excellent forum through which those with an interest in the business economy in the area can share and communicate news about their own activities and issues that are likely to have a bearing on business in Folkestone and Hythe. It has also become a powerful medium whereby the local business community can express its views and lobby for positive change.”
Daniel Sangiuseppe of the Folkestone, Hythe & District Hotel & Catering Association and The Burlington Hotel said: “I have enjoyed my time so far on the SBAB as I feel I have been able to inform key people in the local authority as well as other local business about issues affecting my industry whilst at the same time hearing first-hand what is happening locally that may concern me and my colleagues. The other benefit of our board is it feeds into the Kent Economic Board which in turn is represented at the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) so I believe that this give gives us in Folkestone and Hythe the best chance to have our voices heard where it matters. As a result of this, business is taking the lead with Folkestone and Hythe District Council support in ensuring that what we feel is best for our area gets prioritised and in some instances has a chance of obtaining critical funding.”