Maresa Molloy from the Policy team is attending a meeting in Manchester about changes to EU Directives that will affect businesses in sectors such as construction and also the Chamber’s own Liverpool Tenders service. The information gathered today will be disseminated to members through the Chamber newsletter and website.

Today ChinaLink’s business club is meeting with representative from the British Embassy and Consulates-General in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. The meeting is designed to assist businesses that are looking to get involved in import and export in China.

Last night, Chamber Chief Executive Jack Stopforth and Chair, David Wade Smith attended the Daily Post Regional Business Awards held at St George’s Hall. Liverpool Chamber sponsored the International Trader of the Year Award. Jack made the presentation to winners RS Clare Co Ltd, who export their products world wide.

Liverpool city centre will lose one of its most unique and idiosyncratic shopping experiences tomorrow (Saturday 1 July) when Quiggins closes its doors for the last time.

The School Lane building, home to a variety of traders serving a range of ‘alternative’ markets, has been forced to make way for the Grosvenor Paradise Street development. The building, despite protests and a 150,000-signature petition, was made the subject of a compulsory purchase order. Whilst some traders are moving to new premises in BarCalona on Renshaw Street and some have made their own arrangements, still others are left with nowhere to go, effectively ending their trading.

This move surely sees a significant erosion of Liverpool’s unique character and culture, and a further step towards the homogenisation of the city centre that has blighted so many of the UK’s cities.

Read more on Quiggins’ closure on the Daily Post and Echo website.

What do you think - is the Paradise Street Project good or bad for Liverpool business? Is losing independent and alternative shopping experiences something we will live to regret? Leave a comment and share your views.

Tonight (Thursday 29 June), Dr Kegang Wu, Director of International Business of the Chamber is appearing as a guest on Radio Merseyside’s Drive Time show at 5.30.

He will be talking about a range of topics including Liverpool’s Twinning with Shanghai and its potential. He will be explaining why the Chamber has invited commercial officers from British Embassy and Consulates-General in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou to visit the city, why are they here and how local business can get involved. He will also talk about why Liverpool will not among the first cities to be granted city region status by the government. He will giving the chamber’s view and how the business community can work with the city on this.

Last night over 200 guests enjoyed the Merseyside CrimeStoppers fund raising night at the Devonshire House Hotel.

Guest of honour, Coronation Street star, William Roach, patron of CrimeStoppers, gave an after dinner speech describing his role in the UK’s longest soap and praising the successes of the charity.

Peter Jones, Manager of the Chamber’s Business Crime Direct team is on the board of Merseyside CrimeStoppers, a charity which enables people to anonymously report information and provides rewards. All the organisations work is done through donations andfundraising events such as this. The night’s raffle and auction raised over £6000.

L-R - Jon Murphy DDC, William Roach, Assistant Chief Constable Patrica Gallen, Chied Superintendent Tony Doherty

Star DJ (and BCD staff member) Joe Curran and his fan club.

Yesterday (Wed 28 June), Chamber staff attended a conference called ‘Making the Most of ICT’, organised by the ICT Hub.

Although it was aimed at providing info for voluntary and community groups, and how they can maximise their IT efficiency, many of the lessons could be used by businesses too.

Amongst the topics covered where:

• Communicating through ICT - using technology to get your message across and attract new audiences
• Web Accessibilty - simple steps to make sure your website can be used by as many people as possible
• Open Source technology - the free open source applications that are available to organisations such as office tools, website management or desktop publishing, that mean you don’t have to pay huge fees for access to the latest software.
• Voice over IP - internet-based telephone calls that can save a business serious money on their phone bill.

The event was held at Blackburne House, Liverpool, an excellent venue and a lovely spread for lunch! Yum.

Take a look at the event itinery for more details (making-the-most-of-ict.pdf), or email us if you want to know more.

Welcome to Liverpool Chamber of Commerce’s new blog. Here we will be posting stories and news about what we’re up to and what’s happening in the city. It will also give you the chance to leave your comments and let us know what you think about issues affecting your business.

Whether you’ve got a bee in your bonnet over the roadworks, are excited by what will be happening in 2008, or just want to ask us what we’ve been up to, hopefully this blog will be the place to do it.

Bookmark us now, come back regularly and make sure you leave a comment if you’ve something you want to say.

How exciting!