DAWLISH Chamber of Trade's new chairman has said he hopes to bring fresh ideas to the forum.
He is cycle shop owner Bob Bowen, who took the position last week. Born and raised in London, he has been in Dawlish for 15 years. A family man, he is married with two children.
He said: 'The main challenge is altering our outlook. We have to find strategies to get people back into their local shops.' He said that tourism and shopping facilities needed to be improved. 'As you well know, Dawlish is part of a regeneration initiative. 'We wouldn't have this initiative if Dawlish had not degenerated. 'I think that we, as traders, have a large part to play in that, we are part of the community and things we do have an effect on the community. Therefore, the challenge for us is to provide exactly what is needed.' One of things Mr Bowen would like to see is Dawlish move into the digital age.
'We need to use the internet as more of a business and marketing medium,' he said. 'We have the skills locally to move that on, but it's all completely new to people who run businesses like me.'
Another concern he wants addressed in the town is car parking – he wants more of it.
'He concluded: 'There are a lot of challenges that we face, but frankly we've stood still for too long. In my mind, Dawlish can either go forwards, or backwards, and I think we know which way it needs to go.'