THE president of the Swindon Chamber of Commerce has resigned after less than two months into the job.

Nick Beaumont-Jones, a former manager of the Brunel Centre, recently saw off a hostile takeover of the Swindon chamber.

But Mr Beaumont-Jones said his resignation was nothing to do with the failed takeover by GWE Business West. Rather, he said, it had been pressure of work.

“The workload is far higher than I anticipated and it is essential that the chamber gets the best,” he said.

“I’ve got a new business which needs more time and I can’t afford to give the equivalent three days a week to the chamber, which is what I have been doing since I took over.

“Now that the matter of the proposed takeover has been settled it would seem to be a good time for someone new to come in and take the reins. But as president I just could not do the job justice.”

The proposed takeover of the Swindon Chamber of Commerce, which is part of the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, by GWE Business West was abandoned last week.

The GWE attempt was seen as a hostile move by the Thames Valley chamber, whose reaction was: “Swindon is not for sale, merger or acquisition.”

The resignation of Mr Beaumont-Jones comes at a time when Thames Valley has made a bid for a local enterprise partnership (LEP), following the joint invitation by the Government to local authorities and business leaders, outline proposals for LEPs are emerging from around the country and will be competing for limited public sector funding.

The proposed Thames Valley area for an LEP would go from Swindon through Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, North Hampshire finishing at Heathrow.

The council of the Swindon chamber will discuss the resignation of Mr Beaumont Jones when it meets in a couple of weeks time.

Paul Briggs, chief executive officer of the Thames Valley chamber group, said he was disappointed that Mr Beaumont-Jones had resigned.

“But I fully understand Nick’s reasons,” he said. “His own business must come first and it has been an extremely hectic time for the Swindon chamber.

“I am grateful for his help with the recent takeover issue but there is plenty of work to come, especially with the LEPs matter.

“The council will decide what to do at their meeting later this month. They might elect a new president straight away or wait a while.”

“Regarding LEPs, in order to best represent the needs of our economic region in nationally significant matters, a strong business led Thames Valley branded proposition, which includes Swindon, would be best fit for LEP purposes.”