The new Forres Area Business Association (FABA) has launched a survey and is encouraging business owners to take part so the Association can ensure it represents what its members want in the best way.

The aim of the FABA is operate a network to support and encourage businesses in the Forres area, to act as a collective business voice with organisations such as local authorities and development agencies and with the public, to support business development and to undertake any other relevant activities for the benefit of the members and the community.

FABA now replaces the former Forres Businesses Association (FBA) which was suspended in 2018.

Following two meetings held earlier this year, business owners from the area decided the FBA should be resurrected as a community interest company.

The group is now in the care of its new directors who now need feedback on how to move the new Association forward.

The current directors are Joanna Taylor, Graham Murdoch, Carrie Custodio, Gavin Ellis and Claire Doughty.

Joanna Taylor of Rafford Consulting Ltd said: “It has been quite a journey to get to this stage, but we are now officially recognised as the Forres Area Business Association c.i.c. We are in a position to build the membership but clearly the Association is here for the business community so we need to know what it is they want us to do. Businesses have shown an interested in this organisation continuing, the board has ideas, but we are sure that there are more ideas out there too.”

Claire Doughty who runs her own publicity company added: “We have a new website and we have devised a survey which will help us gauge what it is people want. We are urging the businesses to take part in the survey. We cannot move forward without engagement. The Association is here to work on behalf of the business community so we really need to get that feedback in order to make sure we are carrying out the right tasks and campaigns.””

You do not need to be a member to take part in the survey which can be found here

Responses to the survey need to submitted by October 8.