Being a local Bury businessperson I am passionate about the economic prosperity of the borough. I attend a number of meetings with the local authority to ensure the business voice is being heard. I have also been involved with input to the recently launched Bury Economic Development plan.
Bury is a great place to do business and the opportunities continue to grow. Projects to improve the town centres in Bury, Ramsbottom, Radcliffe and Prestwich are well underway, and discussions are starting to take place regarding Northern Gateway, which is part of the mayoral development zone; Atom Valley. Covering sites across Bury, Oldham and Rochdale, this vast innovation mega-cluster will play a pivotal role in making Greater Manchester one of the best places in the world to grow up, get on and grow old. A large portion of the land for this initiative is in the borough of Bury so I encourage you to check out the website for further details. Rest assured the Chamber with our focus on Business, Skills, Connectivity and Sustainability is well placed to influence the decisions that will need to be made as the plan unfolds.
Of course, Bury businesses still face challenges, not just those impacting nationally - such as energy costs, wider inflation, and supply chain disruption - but also local recruitment issues and skills shortages.
Please remember that your local Chamber is here to help. I’m keen to understand and, wherever possible, assist with your issues. If there’s anything you’d like to discuss, please email me at Andrew.Roberts@avoira.com.
Dr Andrew Roberts
Bury President of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce