Background

There were five business associations operating in Rhyl. These are the Rhyl Tourism Group, Denbighshire Landlords Forum, Rhyl Radio Link, West End Retailers and the Rhyl Business Group.

With the exception of the Rhyl Business Group, these are single issue associations or are groups that cater for narrowly defined business sectors.

The Rhyl Athy Regeneration (RAR) project, part funded by the European Union Interreg IIIa programme, has strived to create an innovative business environment in the town and to increase collaboration and co-operation among businesses and enterprises in areas where there could be mutual benefits.

An outcome of this project has been the inception, development, and formalisation of a Rhyl Business Group (RBG) representing all sectors of the business community.

 

Rhyl Business Network started October 2003 through RAR

October 2003

  • First Business Network Dinner
  • interested business people met to think about ways of bringing together members of the business community in Rhyl (informal steering group)

November 2003

  • first business breakfast with speaker attendees
  • Businesses consulted as to opinions and needs

January 2004

  • Breakfast meeting With speakers (32 attendees)

April 2004

  • Rhyl going forward meeting (22 attendees)

September 2004

  • North Hoyle wind farm ( 17 business people, site visit)

October 2004

  • Business breakfast (41 attendees)

November 2004

  • RAR commissioned Erskine Corporation to investigate the viability of having a ‘one voice’ business network for Rhyl

December 2004

  • 2 meetings held with Erskine (51 attendees)

March 2005

  • Erskine presented findings of research at business breakfast (27 attendees)
  • Recommended formalisation of the business network (wanted by members)

In June 2005 businesses in Rhyl submitted an expression of interest form for membership of a Rhyl Business Group. Later in the month, the members voted for a board to represent them.

The RBG board worked towards setting up as one of the first Community Interest Companies in the U.K.

In September 2005 The Rhyl Business Group submitted the necessary legal documents to be registered as a Community Interest Company with the name ‘Rhyl Business Community Interest Company’.

In November 2005 Rhyl Business Group had an official launch dinner, with over eighty people in attendance. The first network event for 2006 took place on the 2nd March 2006 with forty eight people in attendance.