Frome Chamber of Commerce hosted a business networking breakfast at the Cheese and Grain on Thursday 19th March with guest speakers from Mayday Saxonvale (Mayday), exploring where local businesses sit within a growing town and changing economy.
The significant development planned and underway across Frome raises important questions:
- How do we protect and prioritise business growth, employment space and long-term economic activity alongside housing and other uses?
- How can local business owners have a stronger voice in shaping the economic future of their town, and greater influence over how long-term value is created and retained locally?
- What does it take to keep businesses, talent and investment rooted in Frome long-term?
Peter Quintana, Chair of Frome Chamber, gave each table one of these questions to discuss over breakfast. Attendees were asked to focus on strategies and considerations for fostering economic growth, community development, and business sustainability in Frome, and note down the key points raised from their discussion. The following key themes emerged.
1. Protecting and Enabling Long‑Term Economic Activity
A dominant theme was the need to protect the “middle ground” of employment space – affordable offices, workshops, and flexible commercial premises that allow businesses to start, grow and stay in Frome. There was widespread concern that commercial space is easier to convert to housing, creating a structural imbalance that undermines long-term economic resilience. Participants emphasised the importance of certainty of tenure, predictable planning outcomes, and affordable rents to give businesses confidence to invest.
There was also a strong desire for workspace in or near the town centre, which would increase weekday footfall and support the high street economy, alongside spaces that allow businesses to “grow into” rather than be displaced as they scale.
2. Infrastructure, Transport and Accessibility as Economic Enablers
Transport and accessibility emerged repeatedly as critical barriers and opportunities. Issues include unreliable train services, poor bus connectivity, weak links between industrial estates and the town centre, and insufficient or poorly priced parking for workers and customers. The idea of a connected transport hub (linking bus and rail) and a 15‑minute town reflects a desire to make Frome easier to work in, not just visit.
Safe streets, good lighting, accessible public services, and practical amenities (banks, post office, healthcare) were seen as essential foundations for a functioning business ecosystem rather than “nice-to-haves”.
3. Skills, Talent and Education Pathways
Another significant theme was the leakage of young talent, driven by limited local education pathways, weak visibility of career opportunities, and a perception that progression requires leaving for larger cities. Contributors highlighted gaps in FE/HE provision, apprenticeships, work experience, and school–business links.
There was strong appetite for closer collaboration between businesses, schools, colleges and councils to create visible pathways from education into local employment, supported by affordable housing and a lifestyle that appeals to 18–30-year-olds.
4. Voice, Representation and Coordination
Many points relate to the fragmentation of voice across planning, councils, developers and businesses. Businesses want clearer understanding of who decides what, earlier engagement in planning decisions, and a more proactive role for Frome Chamber in representing both members and non‑members.
Ideas include sector groups, audits of business needs, better data on why businesses fail, and using shared platforms (events, podcasts, local channels) to articulate a coherent, evidence‑based economic narrative for Frome.
5. Place, Identity and Differentiation
Finally, there is a strong sense that Frome’s future depends on being intentional about what makes it distinctive – its independent businesses, community culture, quality of environment, and values-led approach to growth. Participants stressed the importance of attracting the right investment, supporting first movers, avoiding duplication, and nurturing sectors where Frome can genuinely stand out (e.g. creative, digital, niche manufacturing, hospitality).
Community strength is seen not just as social capital, but as an economic asset that attracts talent, investment and visitors.
Key Recommendations
1. Protect and Plan for Employment Space
- Introduce stronger safeguards against loss of commercial space to residential use
- Prioritise affordable, flexible workspace with security of tenure
- Plan explicitly for “grow‑on” space for scaling businesses
2. Put Business Needs at the Heart of Infrastructure Decisions
- Improve transport reliability and town–estate connectivity
- Review parking provision, pricing and season tickets for workers
- Treat accessibility, safety and basic services as economic infrastructure
3. Build Clear Local Talent Pathways
- Strengthen links between businesses, schools, FE/HE and training providers
- Expand apprenticeships, work experience and employer-led education pathways
- Align housing, transport and lifestyle offer to retain younger workers
4. Create a Unified, Evidence‑Based Business Voice
- Empower Frome Chamber to act as a convenor and advocate for the whole business community
- Regularly audit business needs and future space requirements
- Improve transparency around planning, decision-making and business churn
5. Be Intentional About Frome’s Economic Identity
- Define and promote sectors where Frome has genuine competitive advantage
- Support first movers and independents through targeted incentives
- Attract investment that delivers growth while preserving local values
With the forthcoming work on a new Growth Strategy for Frome imminent, the results gathered from this event could not be more timely.