New manager tasked with giving Marlow industry a shot in the arm

Ronnie Fleming has been hired as Business Park Manager following the vote by firms in the Globe Park and Fieldhouse Lane areas to set up a Business Improvement District (BID).

Mr Fleming has been recruited from Groundwork – a organisation working with communities on projects to tackle a range of issues.

The five-year post will see him work alongside a panel of business leaders to address long-running problems including parking in Marlow’s Industrial areas. 

Speaking to business leaders at the Chamber of Commerce this week, Mr Fleming said: “The post of Globe Park business manager is certainly a target rich investment. There is a lot to be done down there, for instance the car parking is horrendous.

“I hope to get from business leaders their list of priorities for me to deal with first, as there is about 50 things that need to be done as soon as possible.

“I’m looking forward to getting stuck in and meeting the directors.”

Scot Mr Fleming has a background in landscaping and served as head of sports and leisure at Slough Borough Council.

He has worked on numerous large-scale regeneration projects and has also run his own executive coaching and management consultancy business.

And he will oversee transport initiatives, image enhancements, green schemes, security and communications changes around Globe Park.

Some of Marlow’s most successful growing businesses call the town’s industrial area home, including IT firm Softcat and a number of companies owned by Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Peter Jones.

The BID area stretches from Station Road to the A404 Marlow bypass roundabout, with about one million square feet, comprising about 20 large office buildings and numerous smaller ones.

Any changes will be implemented using nearly £1million over five years paid by the companies through a levy on business rates.

Businesses voted to set up the BID with a ballot in October, with the first executive meeting set to take place next month.