EVERY time we have a members’ meeting we learn new things and benefit from sharing knowledge and experiences and our latest gathering in the Stoke Inn was no exception.

I was able to update people on the state of our membership, standing at more than 40 companies, which is excellent for a small rural Chamber. As we have been running independently for 25 years in 2026 we are inviting members to suggest what sort of social event they would like to see to celebrate the landmark.

The main topic of conversation was about the pressures on every business arising from a range of rising costs which are coming from all sides.

The hospitality sector is suffering from substantial rises in the price of heating oil and electricity, printers are finding the cost of card and paper a real concern, whilst the world of technology is seeing sharp increases in the price of hardware and memory. There is a particular difficulty with the supply of helium, used in the manufacture of Chips, as what was available was mostly being bought up by large Artificial Intelligence centres.

The subject of AI also came up in a discussion about reducing business costs. One member said they used it to reduce admin staff costs, but there was still a need for a human to check its work. Another said it was very useful for handling large amounts of data and in technology. In the future it will be up to educators and businesses to find the right balance, making the most of AI in areas where it is useful, whilst training people to use it so they still have a job.

If you would like to join us in the Chamber or just find out a bit more, please take a look at our website – chewvalleychamber.co.uk