Doing Business on the Island
The Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce is an integral part of Island business life. There’s a Chamber of Commerce dedicated to every region of the UK. As a result, they’re uniquely placed to help businesses of every size and sector: from micro one-person businesses to the country’s largest employers.
The IOW Chamber is the only business support network that helps businesses build relationships on every level, so no other membership organisation can compete! The premise of Chamber membership is based on five distinctive pillars:
GROW – your market, your profile, and your bottom line
PROTECT – essential services such as HR, H&S, legal, and tax cover are included in your membership fee
CONNECT – through events, introductions, and wide-reaching social networks, spanning the globe
SAVE – exclusive low-cost benefits and access to funding
LOBBY – feeding YOUR views to government, holding them to account, and pushing for change
Isle of Wight Chamber CEO Steven Holbrook says, "The Isle of Wight is home to a very impressive cohort of businesses, across a wide range of sectors. Although our tourism offering often gets the most headlines, with our incredible natural beauty and distinctive hospitality and accommodation businesses, we also punch above our weight in manufacturing and exporting. Our historic expertise in boatbuilding has informed our manufacturing sector, with expertise in composites, defence, and the rejuvenated maritime manufacturing industry.
"With huge investment in our broadband and our road network, the Isle of Wight is future-facing. With ambassador brands like Liz Earle, Mermaid Gin, the Tomato Stall, and the Isle of Wight Festival putting our name on the map internationally, we have much to celebrate. I’m also happy to confirm that the Isle of Wight Chamber is the loudest voice for Island business, as part of the British Chambers of Commerce network, providing crucial representation during the pandemic and channelling the views of members as we look ahead to economic recovery.”
Our quality of life is enviable, with impressive businesses operating just minutes from sea air and stunning landscapes. The wider world isn’t far either - with "the mainland” just a short ferry trip away.