Falmouth BID Board

Directors of Falmouth BID are committed to the key objective of improving the trading environment and opportunities of the town for the benefit of all local businesses. To achieve this their skills and experience need to  cover a wide range, encompassing all areas of business with the aim of ensuring a comprehensive and relevant range of input to the Board, a high standard of representation when promoting Falmouth, diligence and commitment in promoting the town’s development, as well as good business practice within the company itself.

 Our integrated and award-winning partnership with Falmouth Town Council is reflected in observer positions on the Board, currently taken by Mark Williams, Falmouth Town Clerk.

Chair Rob Holmes – Falmouth University

‘I was appointed Director of Finance in 2014 at the University having been with the University since 1992. During that time, I have been involved with finances across the institution from the early days of European funding and the acquisition of the Penryn Campus, the establishment of the joint venture, Falmouth Exeter Plus, the merger with Dartington College of Arts and in achieving University title.

Seeing the excellent work that Falmouth BID does for the town persuaded me to become involved and offer my financial input to the team. I currently run the financial records and act as Company Secretary for the company.’

Paul Wickes MBE – Cornwall Marine Network

‘Cornwall Marine Network has considerable expertise in helping our vibrant local marine sector businesses to prosper. Through specialist business support services to local businesses, we have created and filled more than 3,500 jobs and added more than £300 million value to the Cornish economy.

I have been able to draw on this local experience to produce benefits for Falmouth BID members, which has resulted in the BID offering one-day business skills workshops and we are working closely with Richard Wilcox to continually seek new initiatives that will support improved economic performance for BID members, including a new model for BID members to employ apprentices that reduces the risks and costs for small businesses.’

Victoria Glaister – Inspire Makers

‘I am an experienced strategic and commercial leader, motivated by personal accountability and driving the delivery of results through myself and others. I currently run Inspire Makers, a creative retail space in Falmouth dedicated to championing Cornish independent artistic businesses and people. We showcase a carefully curated range of contemporary work from over 50 well-known and emerging artists and makers. There is also a gallery area with a full programme of local artist exhibitions, and a workshop calendar with a range of creative classes available to inspire people to take up making themselves.

I have a track record in creating, inspiring and leading teams to deliver a common goal, and the ability to define and implement strategies which meet the needs of both the business and customers, increase profit, and improve efficiency.’

Giles Gould – National Maritime Museum Cornwall (NMMC)

‘I trained in tourism, hospitality and leisure and have gained broad and varied experience across property management and tourism economy commercial operations. This included nine years working for the National Museum of the Royal Navy as Head of Commercial Services, operating across seven sites around the UK. Following a brief sojourn into environmental and preservation charities, I moved to Cornwall two years ago and back into maritime heritage delivery as Commercial Director at the NMMC. I have wide-ranging experience of leadership across a number of sectors, including culture, heritage, tourism and events, coupled with a strong belief that success is founded on collaboration and partnerships. I’m delighted to add value to the excellent work of the Falmouth BID.’

Cath Horton, Co-Owner Castle Sports & Uniform

‘I grew up in Falmouth and originally trained and worked in community economic development in a number of roles across West Cornwall. This involved assisting voluntary groups and charities to develop projects and access funding from the EU, National Lottery and charitable sources, so my background is in bid-writing and project management. After a short career break while my children were young, I joined the National Maritime Museum Cornwall as Visitor Services Manager where I worked for 5 years and first saw the benefits that Falmouth BID brings to the town having worked in partnership on several projects.

I am currently joint owner of Castle Sports and Uniform in Killigrew Street, so I am very aware of the issues faced by retailers in the town. I am very passionate about supporting and promoting the future of the high street.’

Ben Young – Managing Director, The Greenbank Hotel

‘I have been at The Greenbank for over 10 years and was appointed Managing Director in 2018, I’ve got 30+ years of experience working in hospitality all around Cornwall and the UK, and I come from a long line of Cornish hoteliers going back over 100 years. During my time at The Greenbank, we have developed an incredibly successful, symbiotic relationship with the Town Team and in particular, through our involvement and engagement in events and marketing with the Falmouth BID.

Of all the towns I’ve worked in, Falmouth has the most vibrant, proactive and dynamic management approach and I hope to add to this in whatever way I can. In challenging times, we must do more to achieve what we may have previously taken for granted, so with this in mind I will strive to do my utmost to work for Falmouth’s commercial benefit and to support its businesses via the Falmouth BID.’

Mark Williams FGC, FSLCC – Town Clerk, Falmouth Town Council, observer

‘I have worked in Cornish local government for over 35 years and since 2003 as the Clerk to Falmouth Town Council. The Council has grown rapidly in that time, and in response to local demand has engaged with significant asset and service devolutions by taking a proactive role in saving community assets from closure, improving the quality and effectiveness of services, and leading in local place-shaping. The Council is renowned for its strong leadership, and innovative community delivery in partnerships. One of the most important and proactive of those associations is with Falmouth BID, and I attend Board meetings as an observer. The working model that we have is effective and is a way of working that is advocated by the sector and promoted nationally.

A former national ‘Clerk of the Year’, I am a Fellow of both the Governance Institute and the Society of Local Council Clerks, plus a Cornish Ambassador for the Cornwall Place Board. I am pleased to be the conduit between the Council and the BID and continuing our partner led approach.’