THE new chairman of Dorchester Bid says he is looking forward with a positive outlook as he embarks on the role.

Mike Reed, from the Dorchester Hair Studio, has been appointed as the new chairman of the organisation and will be supported by deputy Sian Merriott in the coming year.

His business has been open in Trinity Street for three and a half years and Mike’s wife Tracey has been running hair salons in Dorchester since 1988.

Mike said: “I like Dorchester, it’s a fantastic place to do business and as long as we are going forward not backwards and as long as we can make a positive impact on the town then I think that’s what counts.”

Mike said he had not always been the biggest advocate of the Bid as he struggled to see exactly what it did for his business and it was only when he was invited to get involved by Bid project manager Phil Gordon that he came to see just how beneficial it could be.

He said: “I realised anything that’s good for the town as a whole is good for every business.

“So it will always have a knock-on effect as long as it does good and promotes the town.”

Mike urged anyone who was not convinced about what the Bid could do to get involved with it before knocking it.

He said: “Until you go and have a look at what it can do for you, you don’t realise.”

Mike takes on the top role after John Fiori acted as interim chairman after the sad death of Peter Legg last year.

He praised the enthusiasm and commitment shown by Mr Legg and said he knew it was a tough act to follow.

Mike said he was keen to use the expertise available on the Bid board and it was an important time as the Bid’s business plan began to take shape.

He added: “We’re open to ideas and feedback from businesses so we can try and support the individual businesses as much as we can while working within the framework of the business plan.”

Mike will not have to wait long before businesses get the chance to quiz him and the board on their plans, with an open meeting for levy payers at 4.30pm today at the Corn Exchange.

n INTERIM Bid chairman John Fiori, from the Horse with the Red Umbrella cafe, said he was ‘delighted’ to see Mike Reed take over as chairman and thanked those who had supported him during his spell at the helm.

Mr Fiori, who took over following the death of chairman Peter Legg last year, said: “I was willing to act as chairman in the short term while some of the newer board members got up to speed with the workings of the Bid and for them to understand more about how Bids work and the role of a Bid in Dorchester.

“We all still really miss Peter of course and he remains a very hard act to follow but I’m absolutely delighted that Mike Reed has accepted the role of chairman and that Sian Merriott from Nantes Solicitors is our new deputy chair.

“It has been an honour, I’ve really enjoyed my time as chair and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Phil Gordon and Lisa Cartwright for their essential support and encouragement they gave me over the last few months.”