Impact of loss of BIH Helicopter Service - Cornishman 28 Sep 2012

The Cornishman ran an item in the 27th Sep edition of the paper exploring the impact of the withdrawal of the BIH helicopter service on 1 Nov 2012.  The items include comments from Penzance Chamber of Commerce as we as Marian Bennett, Councillor and spokesperson for FRIST and Robert Dorrien-Smith, owner of Tresco.

Read the Cornishman article here.

MP becomes Penzance Town Team Partner

Last week, on 19 Sep, Andrew George MP accepted an invitation from Penzance Town Team to become a 'Town Team Partner'.  

Under a Government scheme following on from the Portas Pilot competition, unsuccessful towns had the opportunity fof a £10,000 grant towards one of their unsuccessful Portas Projects if they adopted their local MP as a Town Team Partner and if the MP signed a pledge to support the local Town Team and help it pursue its vision.  Andrew George, who has a long track record of supporting the interests of town centres at Westminster, was pleased to demonstrate his support.

The project to benefit from the grant will be the Town Centre Market initiative.  

The Town Teams other partners include National Trust (West Cornwall) and The Cornishman.

References:

Govt (DCLG) letter 30 Aug 2012
MP’s Partner Registration Form

JJB Sports Appointing Administrators

From:  This is Money (www.thisismoney.co.uk) 24 Sep 2012

JJB Sports will appoint administrators this week after failing to find a buyer for the business, meaning as many as half of its 180 stores could close with a large chunk of its 4,000 workers at risk.  Suspending its shares today, it said it was clear that any offer for the company would not realise any value for shareholders.

But its shops will continue to trade pending completion of the sale and administration process.

This is Money (to read the rest of the item)

Comment.  The announcement of the failure of JJB Sport is another blow to the nations High Streets.  Penzance does not have a branch.

Penzance Town Council write to Minister

In a letter to Norman Baker MP on 12 September Penzance Town Council stated it was fully supportive of Cornwall Councils dredging plans but felt that more of its harbour scheme was achievable within ERDF timescales or could be achieved using other sources of funding.  It is not entirely obvious what decision the Minister will make following the response.  The Minister originally required that both harbour schemes proceed together in lock step but that could mean neither project proceeds.