Witney Chamber of Commerce

Witney Chamber of Commerce The Chamber of Commerce meets
several times a year and involves its members throughout the year via emails, whatsapp updates and a members area of our website.

[email protected]

Today I attended the 10 year anniversary of NIO in the UK. NIO is a technology company involved in the automotive sect...
18/06/2026

Today I attended the 10 year anniversary of NIO in the UK. NIO is a technology company involved in the automotive sector, they stated out by entering FormulaE with the NextEV team. They produced the EP9 concept car which set the EV lap record at the Nurburgring and at the time the overall lap record. They currently produce EV's in China and Europe, they have had a UK base from the early days which has been the performance engineering hub helping to produce some very impressive vehicles. The ET9 displayed its party trick of driving in with a tree of champagne glasses not spilling a drop (it can do this over an uneven terrain course as well) thanks to its intelligent air suspension that identifies and adjusts the wheel location before arriving at the obstacle. I was honoured to be invited along as a guest to hear keynote speakers Benlin Yu from the Chinese Embassy, Mike Hawes the CEO of the Motor Manufacturers and Traders Association and Li Hong the company founder and CEO.

NIO have just moved into their new base in Witney, just off Range Road having relocated from Bicester, they had been looking for a unit which combines office space with a workshop for a while and love their new location which is close to the university and in the heart of F1 country. They are not alone in choosing Witney as a base as we have a number of technology firms choosing the area along with a lot of well established businesses.

If you work for, our represent a technology firm in the OX28 or OX29 postcodes please get in touch and consider joining the chamber, I impressed on the senior personnel at NIO that we need more technology and manufacturing input into the chamber so we are able to understand the issues that impact their ability to thrive. Transport links, cost of living and accommodation issues were raised but the closeness to such a deep pool of talented engineers and designers outweigh the negatives at the moment. We as a chamber have more work to do representing businesses like these and impressing on the people that hold the levers of change to pull them in the right way so we continue to attract great businesses to the area.

Adrian Bullock
Chairman

17/06/2026

Given the economic pressures we’re facing, I was really pleased to see West Oxfordshire District Council strengthen its business rates support to help local businesses, charities and community organisations. The updated policy includes a new relief scheme that caps annual business rates increases at £800 for eligible small businesses, a 15% business rates discount for eligible pubs and live music venues in 2026/27, and continued support for charities, sports clubs and community groups, with some organisations able to receive up to 100% business rates relief.
If you are a business, charity or community organisation and would like to find out more about the support available, you can read more about it here: https://news.westoxon.gov.uk/news/council-approves-updated-business-rates-relief-policy-to-support-local-priorities or email [email protected]

Many thanks to Sam Stronach of West Oxfordshire District Council and Duncan Enright, Labour & Cooperative Councillor in ...
17/06/2026

Many thanks to Sam Stronach of West Oxfordshire District Council and Duncan Enright, Labour & Cooperative Councillor in Witney for leading tonights meeting, we covered many subjects that the councils economic team are involved in or can pass on to other departments. Everyone enjoyed an interactive meeting and many ideas and opinions were shared.

With the impending local government reorganisation, pending a decision, which will see District councils disappear and replaced with a Unitary Council the next 2 years are going to be interesting to say the least. To learn more about what is happening and how it could impact Witney and District come along to our next meeting on the 24th Sept.

Our Chair is currently attending a Strategic Stakeholder Engagement Workshop organised by Cotswold TourismHopefully he’...
16/06/2026

Our Chair is currently attending a Strategic Stakeholder Engagement Workshop organised by Cotswold Tourism

Hopefully he’ll be back for tonight’s meeting which we hope everyone has remembered 🤞

Our Chairman had an hour-long phone call with the treasurer of Wantage Chamber of Commerce, who reached out because thei...
10/06/2026

Our Chairman had an hour-long phone call with the treasurer of Wantage Chamber of Commerce, who reached out because their High Street is under threat with proposals to remove all parking and replace it with green spaces. With around 40 parking spaces, the impact will be devastating to the High Street's vitality and attractiveness, and the knock-on impact to local businesses is likely to be catastrophic. We were happy to pass on our experiences and advice on how to fight these plans and wish them the best of luck in their endeavors. We stand with and remain available to help and advise where we can.

We are pleased that there has been cross party support locally for our suggestion for anonymous ANPR cameras to be insta...
02/06/2026

We are pleased that there has been cross party support locally for our suggestion for anonymous ANPR cameras to be installed in Witney’s 3 main car parks and thank Charlie for his support as well. The suggestion was made in response to West Oxfordshire District Council proposals for housing on Woodford Way. But it is also vitally required in order to assess the use of current parking patterns in the town.

Oxfordshire County Council have stated in their Movement and Place Plan that there is a surplus of parking available in the town YET our survey is currently showing 93% of respondents to our survey do NOT believe this is the case. As Charlie Maynard MP for Witney highlights the plans for more homes in the area is not matched by the plans for more jobs meaning more people needing to travel around the region for work. 52% of respondents say they would use a train to move around the region if one were available which supports this option being developed but there is also a vital need to update and improve the road network. 45% of respondents to our survey disagreed entirely with the councils objective to make walking, cycling or public transport the natural first choice and 15% partly disagreed yet the MAPP is based on a travel hierarchy which puts the car last in their considerations! If Witney is to continue to prosper we need great transport links covering all forms of transport so not only can local people get around efficiently but visitors can easily access the town and its nearby attractions.

Our councils should be making plans which reflect the needs of the people it represents, we will be working with stakeholders over the next few months on the subject of transport and hope to publish our thoughts and ideas later this year.

As Oxfordshire County Council’s consultation on the Lowlands Movement and Place Plan ends in 2 days we are publishing th...
31/05/2026

As Oxfordshire County Council’s consultation on the Lowlands Movement and Place Plan ends in 2 days we are publishing the results from our survey so far as these will help frame our response along with members feedback.

The survey remains open and we ask that you share it and make as many people aware of it as possible, the more responses the more weight it will have with those making these decisions which will impact the area for the next 2 decades.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KWJXCRH

We will be emailing this to the local political parties and Charlie Maynard MP for Witney so they can share within their own circles.

The chamber hopes that this contributes to the shaping of a transport policy that reflects the needs and opinions of the people it is designed to work for given the introduction to the MAPP clearly states it’s vision is “a people-first design approach”

29/05/2026

Thank you for another busy day and special thanks to the people who share their lunch pennies between us and another small independent Sandwich De Witney
When we first opened we were forever being asked “Why don’t you make sandwiches?” We used to say “Nah, no way, we both made sandwich boxes for years for our kids and we’re sick of doing that”
Anyhow, why would we, with Henry and his marvellous baguettes over the road.
We are both small businesses that prove you should just stick to what you’re good at!

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