A NEW Petersfield business association is about to take on the challenge of marketing the town and says community spirit is the key to success.

The Associates of Petersfield Enterprises (APE), headed by businessman Sal Cardu, are in the final negotiations of taking over from the now redundant Petersfield Marketing Limited.

And Mr Cardu, who runs map company City Explorer from its Stroud base, told The Herald this week that APEÕs remit would not just focus on business but would include broader issues in the town.

He said: ÒHopefully, you will see a lot more community involvement, from businesses, from the youth of Petersfield and the residents. Community spirit has got to be the

first thing. If we can get that right everything else will start flowing.Ó

The group, which includes Angie Ryan who owns Eden Bar, Jerry Hicks, owner of Folly Wine & Ale House, Jonathan Carrington who owns Who Does Your Hair, and Charles Taylor-Stoakes, owner of the Sensible Bicycle Company, is set to take over the role in the near future.

And one of the first challenges for APE will be the Christmas lights. Last year the festive display organised by Petersfield Marketing Limited met with criticism from many residents in the town.

Mr Cardu said: ÒThe objective is to make sure we get the Christmas lights sorted out.

ÒWe have some meetings coming up with a company who supply Christmas lights to see what we can do as a quick fix. The long-term fix could be creating a theme for Petersfield where everything is consistent. Over the next few years we could have a plan where businesses invest in lights.Ó

Another hurdle facing the group will be funding.

The directors of Petersfield Marketing Limited, who stood down in June, said they had failed to achieve sustainable funding.

Mr Cardu said: ÒWe need to make it viable. It is up to us to go to businesses and show them what they are going get. We want to show we can stand on our own two feet.Ó

But he added that grant funding would have to play a part.

ÒThere has to be a certain element of council funding because it is not just for the businesses, it is for the whole of the town.Ó

Mr Cardu said the group had been looking at a number of ideas to generate income and The Square would play a big part in their plan.

ÒOne option would be for us to lease The Square and we could lease it out to other people who want to hold events. We are talking to East Hampshire District Council about that at the moment.Ó

He also said that a new town manager had not been ruled out.

ÒWe have got to look at all the options.Ó