Barrow Business Forum Survey Making Business Stronger Q1 What type of business are you? Tick only one answer.   Supermarket/Grocery Retailer Wholesaler Manufacturer Service - business to business Service - Business to consumer Tradesman IT/Web supplier Leisure/Tourism   It would help if you could indicate the name of your business Q2 What method do you use to communicate with customers/suppliers? Tick as appropriate.   Using desktop computers Using laptop computers Online using broadband Online using dial up internet Blackberry devices or something similar Telephone/ Mobile phone Mailouts Newsletters Typed letters Advertising magazines, newspapers, television   Other, please specify. Q3 If you are on broadband is it adequate for your needs?   Yes No   If not, how would you like your needs to be met? Q4 If you use Blackberries etc. what are your future needs for this activity? Employment and Skills Q5 How many people do you employ at your premises in the village.   How many full time male  employees in the village.   How many  full time female  employees in the village.   How many part time male employees in the village.   How many part time female employees in the village. Q6 How many people do you employ at your premises from outside of the village?   Full time .   Part time . Q7 How many of each age range does you company employ?   16-24 years   25-55 years   56-64 years   65+ years Q8 How many people in your organisation fulfil the following role?   Managers and Senior Officials   professional i.e. requiring graduate knowledge to fulfil the task   Administrative and Secretarial   Skilled trade e.g. electrician, farmer, mechanic   Personal Service Occupations   Sales and Customer Service   Process, Plant and Machine Operatives   Elementary occupations e.g. cleaning, bar staff, security, basic admin., labourer, shelf fillers etc.   Other, please specify. Q9 Is there ample appropriately skilled labour available in the village?   Yes No Q10 Is there in the wider Charnwood area?   Yes No Q11 Do you have your own training staff?   Yes No Q12 If yes, please give the percentage of those trained by you and recruited as trained staff?   %Those trained by you   %Recruited as trained staff Q13 In the current economic climate are you reducing/increasing/ employing about the same level of staff?  Tick as appropriate.   Employing about the same level of staff Increasing staff Reducing staff Q14 What would you like to see develop in the village / in Charnwood in relation to the quality of labour? Q15 Would you be willing to help in training if an organisation/school/university would provide an initiative in this activity?     Yes No Local Authority Services Q16 Barrow upon Soar Parish Council. Do you have any contact, other than paying rates with the Parish Council?   Yes No Q17 Does the work of the Parish Council help, hinder, or have no impact on the way  I run my business?     help hinder have no impact   If help or hinder, please specify. Q18 How could the Parish Council help you?  In what additional activities would you like the Parish Council to be involved? Q19 Charnwood Borough Council.  Do you have any contact, other than paying rates, with the Borough Council?   Yes No Q20 Does the work of the Borough Council help, hinder, or have no impact on the way on I run my business?     help hinder have no impact   If help or hinder, please specify. Q21 How could the Borough Council help you?  In what additional activities would you like the Borough Council to be involved?   Q22 Leicestershire County Council.  Do you have any contact, other than paying rates, with the Borough Council?   Yes No Q23 Does the work of the County Council help, hinder, or have no impact on the way on I run my business?     help hinder have no impact   If help or hinder, please specify. Q24 How could the County Council help you?  In what additional activities would you like the Borough Council to be involved? Q25 Do you have any relationships with other Government or non Government bodies in the area. Tick as appropriate.   Federation of Small Businesses Institute of Directors Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce Trade Associations Business Link   Other, please specify. Q26 Which of these village businesses do you use for your business? Tick as appropriate.   Weekly   Monthly   Less than monthly   Supermarket       Post Office       Other small retail       Pubs       Cafe/restaurants       Petrol station       Garages (Car repair)       Video store       Library       Places of worship       Barrow Business Forum       Other, please specify. Q27 Is there adequate opportunity for you to entertain visitors in the village? e.g. pubs/restaurants up to the standard you need.   Yes No Q28 If you do not use the business/retail services within the village, where do you go, including for business lunches?   Loughborough Leicester Sileby Quorn   Other, please specify. Q29 Are you aware of the following grants available for businesses:  Leicestershire County Council Vibrant Villages grant, Business Link grants, East Midlands Development Agency grants.   Yes No   If yes, please indicate grants you are aware of or have used. Traffic and Location Q30 Do you have any comments on traffic flow, road, parking issues in the village? Q31 Can visitors easily locate your premises from the main arterial routes?   Yes No Q32 If you are located on an industrial complex, are you sufficiently visible/   Yes No Q33 Do your employees have issues with traffic flows or parking?   Yes No Q34 If they have a problem, are they related to peak times? Tick as appropriate.   No problems Morning peak time School departure peak time Evening rush hour Q35 Please identify how many of the following  types of transport your employees usually use to get to work   Cars   Motorbikes   train   Bicycle   Walk   Lift/taxi   Car share   Q36 Which of the following improvements would encourage you or your employees to use public transport more? (Please tick all that apply)   More buses during morning peak travel time More buses during evening peak travel time More buses during daytime More buses during evenings More buses at weekends during daytime More buses at weekends during evenings More easily accessible buses (e.g. low floor buses) Better connections to other forms of public transport (e.g. trains) More easily accessible information about routes and times Improved bus shelters More reliable service Different / new routes Different / new stops Cleanliness Improved safety at bus stops Improved safety on buses Better value for money None Q37 If the public transport services changed, would your employees make more use of them?   Yes No Premises Q38 Are you a freeholder or a tenant? Tick as appropriate.   Freeholder Tenant Work from home Q39 Is the fabric of your premises in good repair?   Yes No Q40 Is the environment (other building and landscaping) around your building attractive to customers: in good repair?   Yes No   If no, what could be done to improve the attractiveness? Q41 Is your landlord supportive to improvements and developments of your premises/landscaping?   Yes No Q42 Has your business suffered from crime in any form?   Yes No   If yes, please give brief details.   Q43 How would you like to see the attraction of the village improved for your customers?  Tick as appropriate.   More flowers Better shop fronts More signs More parking Less restrictions on parking More Notices about the village Better range of shops   If you have answered yes to any of these, please briefly specify how/where you would like the improvement to be achieved?   Overall impressions Q44 Barrow upon Soar is a good place to have a business because: Q45 Do you think Barrow upon Soar is held back as a business area :   Yes No   If yes, please give an indication how Q46 Are you aware of the Barrow Business Forum and what it does for the village?   Yes No If you would like to become a member or have more information please give your contact details below? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q47 The Business Forum runs a number of activities.  Which are of interest to you?  Tick as appropriate?   Presentations on matters of business interest ( i.e. employment law, fire safety certification, relevant new legislation, etc.) Social functions, meals out at members restaurants in the village etc. Campaigns to help the village (i.e. Promotions to encourage local purchase)             Assistance with business issues (i.e.strategy development, planning matters, grants access etc.) Q48 Are there any issues which you would like the Forum to investigate or give support to your business?   Thank you so much for completing this questionnaire.  Your answers will be analysed with those of everyone else and a report written detailing the response (no names or identification will be given).     The Report will be sent to businesses who received the original questionnaire.  We believe that the results will be of great assistance in setting the future objectives of the Barrow Business Forum and thus of help to you and your business and the village as a whole. The Business Forum acknowledges the help give by the following: Barrow upon Soar Parish Council for a grant towards costs, encouragement and help in setting the questions and distribution Charnwood Borough Council for general support, help in setting the questions and distribution The Rural Community Council (Leics. & Rutland) for general support, help in setting the questions and distribution The completed questionnaire should be returned to Barrie Atkinson, 2, The Moorings, Sileby Road, Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire, LE12 8GY.  Tel 01509 414498 email: barrie.joyatkinson@btopenworld.com or The Paper Shop, High Street, Barrow upon Soar A version of the questionnaire is available for completion on the web at http://www.ruralcc.org.uk/parishplanquestionnaire.html

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