BID Board

Ian Follington, Director & Chair

Special Skills

I have more than 24 years of practical experience owning and operating a range of businesses in the UK and overseas and so I understand how hard it is to run a business.

I believe that the strong local team that have come together in BID can help the town grow and prosper in these difficult trading conditions. I am passionate about trying to make a positive difference to the Oswestry business community and am excited by the opportunities to help get Oswestry the recognition it deserves.

Heather Noble, Director & Deputy Chair

Special Skills

Heather has lived in the Oswestry for 20 years and has run her own training consultancy in the area for 10 years. She has a career spanning several decades and industry sectors ranging from hospitality, construction, architecture and publishing. With an interest in local business, community projects and education Heather invests her experience and passion into helping make Oswestry a great place not only to visit and live but a prime location to operate a business.

Patrick Evans, Director

Industrial

Managing Director of Evans Enterprises Ltd, owners of Artillery Business Park, Park Hall, along with other commercial premises on the established Oswestry industrial areas. Running a thriving business park on the outskirts of the town, along with The Fort Serviced Offices, Patrick recognises the needs of growing Oswestry businesses in terms of demands for quality property and how this reflects on their business profile.

Artillery Business Park accommodates two award winning Shropshire Businesses and so Patrick hopes his involvement with BID will lead to other Oswestry based businesses of all sizes, alongside their existing valued tenants, getting the best platform to promote themselves, be found and succeed.

James Woodward, Director

Industrial/Hospitality & Leisure/Night Time Economy

James Woodward is a born and bred Oswestrian and wants the very best for the town. Working life started at his family logistics business Cold Move, on the Maesbury Road Industrial Estate, in the late 80’s and has worked his way up to his current role of Managing Director. He also heads up his family’s town centre business the Wynnstay Hotel and Spa. James is also a Director of his industry federation, the FSDF, and has been so for the last 15 years.

Allister Moutrie, Director

National/Retail

Manager Sainsbury’s. Allister has worked at the Oswestry Sainsburys for 4 periods of time over the last 20 years and has witnessed lots of change in the town in that time. He is passionate about the town being successful for all his colleagues and customers and see Oswestry BID as an opportunity to drive the town’s growth and development. The contribution Sainsbury’s make to the fund is seen as giving something back to Oswestry to secure future success for all.

Lee Lucks, Director

Tourism

Lee has been involved with Oswestry Borderland Tourism since it was formed in 2003 and with Oswestry Tourism Association before that and she is currently Chairman. Previous experience includes running a family owned hotel for over 20 years and various jobs in Local Government mostly involved with IT or Marketing.

Lee feels that BID is the ideal opportunity for Oswestry to build on the promotion of the town that OBT has been doing and is enthusiastic about the projects and opportunities that will bring more visitors to the town and area.

Stuart Phillips, Director

Professional Services

Stuart, who runs the the Commercial Property Consultants, Celt Rowlands & Co in Oswestry was born and bred in Shropshire. After a long stint in London and Spain, he has also practiced his profession in Telford and Shrewsbury prior to establishing the Oswestry office. He has extensive experience in all aspects of commercial property matters including sales and lettings, landlord and tenant work, RICS valuations, Business Rates, and other professional work. These areas of work and his relationship with commercial landlords and tenants gives Stuart a good understanding of what businesses require from the town to give them a better chance of success.

Julie Gibson, Director

Night Time Economy

Julie has lived in and around Oswestry her whole life. Julie, along with her partner Paul have run Pub’s and Restaurants for several years and have seen a great change over the years in Oswestry. She currently own the Kings Head, Church Street and also the Station Grill in Llansantffraid. They are both passionate for Oswestry and both love the town and want to be a part of helping Oswestry grow and make it a great place to go out to drink or eat. She wants to be a part of BID to help Oswestry’s Hospitality industry grow, which will also help other businesses in the town to grow too.

Gemma Cap, Director

Industrial

Gemma was born and raised in Oswestry before leaving to study at Bath University, where she attained an Honours Degree in Business. She then spent over 5 years as a Commercial Business Manager for Lloyds Bank in the City of London looking after businesses in the £2m - £10m space. After a year out to get married and travel the world in 2015 she has since returned to Oswestry and is now very much involved in the running of Morgans of Oswestry (and the other 8 businesses) as the fourth generation in the Morgans Group. She has also got qualifications in Manufacturing, a Professional Certificate in Banking and the NEBOSH National General Certificate in Health and Safety.

Gemma’s aspires to bring positive changes to the current state of the industrial estates, raise awareness of the businesses on the industrial estates to those who live in Oswestry as well as wanting to make the industrial estates a more pleasant place to frequent.

Tania McGee, Director

Professional Services

Tania is a solicitor with over 20 years experience specialising in commercial and agricultural property, and is based full time in the Oswestry office of Lanyon Bowdler. She has lived on the outskirts of Oswestry for the last 10 years, having previously lived and worked in the North West and East and West Midlands.

Tania loves Oswestry and all it has to offer and that it can accommodate her interests of history, theatre, cinema and books.

Tania wants to be involved in the BID so as to build on the opportunities that are available to enable Oswestry to grow, prosper and thrive and to establish itself as a place where people want to not only visit, but to work and live.