Three Parish Big Local Business Forum

[neo 6]

Anyone seen this Three Parish Big Local Business Forum on Twitter? @3pbizforum

 

 

Is it a genuine 3P Big Local project or someone seeing an opportunity to exploit?

Edited January 21, 2013 by Community Online

[Community Online 65]

Neo,

 

We are aware of the Twitter account you mention but are unsure to if it is a 3P BL project, or whether Tony Griffiths is a BL group member.

 

They seem to be following a lot of people and have a lot of followers although very few appear to be local people.  We have also tried to make contact buy don't get a response, which isn't really a good impression if this is a Big Local Project.

 

Hopefully Big Local will come along and comment on this topic and update us.

[Big Local 10]

Tony Griffiths came to our second Business Breakfast on 11th December, and stayed on afterwards to join our Delivery Group meeting. Tony has offered to take on the task of developing the Business Forum on behalf of the Delivery Group, and presented a very helpful paper on how the Forum might develop over the next few years, in order to benefit both businesses and the wider community. The DG had a useful discussion on what the short-term priorities for the Forum might be - which will include establishing Forum meetings on a regular basis with a consistent format and content which would be useful both for established and new (or even embryo) businesses, and businesses of varying sizes.

 

I imagine this could be quite difficult, and if it's the case in the short term that there are a few glitches, and maybe even one or two blind alleys explored, I'd be inclined to say that's a price for establishing something new - the main thing being to learn from the 'mistakes', if mistakes they are.

 

At the moment, I don't think the Delivery Group have got a hard-and-fast concept of how the Business Forum will end up, other than that it will be one vehicle for representing the interests of the business community on the Partnership. Longer-term, it certainly doesn't need to be a creature of 3 Parishes Big Local, although it could be. On the other hand, it might be better if it develops an independent life of its' own, with the connection to BL being purely via a place on the BL Partnership.

 

In the short term, while it's getting established and creating its own identity, there needs to be a closer connection with BL and I'd accept that  allows the possibility that if there are any apparent shortcomings (in failing to respond to contact attempts, for example) that might reflect unfavourably on BL - although if it does something really good without our prompting, I'm sure we'll be quite happy to take some reflected credit. In my book, that means cutting a bit of slack, but I'll have a quiet word about not responding to contact attempts.

 

Yes, I'm sure a great many followers outside our BL area - possibly one of the drawbacks of Twitter, not being as 'discriminating' as it might be. On the other hand, one of its' great strengths if it creates the possibility of drawing in ideas and inspiration from outside our immediate locality.  

[Simple Simon 36]

Just a thought: Both St. Martins and Weston Rhyn have industrial estates. Gobowen is more residential.

 

It's just an observation.

[Maggie 65]

I've been keeping the Big Local Facebook page going and have also been trying to contact the tweeter, suggesting he might like to contribute to the Facebook page... but have had no response over the last couple of weeks.

 

If you are interested it is here:   http://www.facebook.com/BigLocal3Parishes?ref=hl

 

and has links to useful Big Local information, mostly interesting things going on around England.    (...shameless plug!)

[leebarnfield 30]

Thanks for the update Big Local, very thorough.

 

My main problem with the @3pbizforum is that they follow over 2000 pretty much random people who have no connection with the area which attracts a follow back.  They tweet every hour with pretty much the same message.  The 500 followers are on the whole random and not local people, this is not, as you mention a draw back of Twitter, its the 3pbizforum pursuit of followers.

 

What is also annoying is that I have sent them several messages and non of them get a response.

[Guest]

I also sent a message a couple of weeks ago and no reply, but I have noticed that big local take a long time to reply or no reply,

[neo 6]

I see that 3pbizforum now has 635 followers..... although are any of them local?

 

Anyone getting a response yet?

Edited January 25, 2013 by neo

[Big Local 10]

I've been pulling together a directory of businesses in the area, from a variety of sources, and although it's true that the trading estates in St Martins and Weston Rhyn are an obvious sign of business activity, it's interesting that there are quite a lot of businesses registered with Gobowen addresses - some of them seem to be service businesses which people may be running from home, in other instances they may be businesses which actually operate elsewhere, but have their 'official' address in Gobowen. In either case, there seems to be quite a lot of entrepreneurial spirit - perhaps more than we'd think, certainly more than is obvious. 

 

I'm sorry Keith feels that we're slow to reply - I'm not aware that there's anything which he's asked which I've not replied to in recent months (if there is, I apologise) but I'll try to reply quickly to emails at d.boyce@qube-oca.org.uk, and phone calls in 'business' hours on 07749 - 786544.

 

David Boyce,

Big Local Co-ordinator

[neo 6]

This Big Local business forum on Twitter is getting worse..... http://www.twitter.com/3pbizforum

 

"We are launching a regular networking meeting in Feb 2013 for businesses in & around of the Three Parishes #BigLocal Area. DM if interested" - ummmm it's March!

 

Lots of people seem to be trying to contact them, with no response..... poor, not a good advert for Big Local

[Laura 5]

You know the old saying "Money always goes to money" it should be sustainable but not if it never reaches or helps the people it was intended for !