THE MYSTERY OF THE SOUTH FENS BUSINESS CENTRE

The South Fens Business Centre was heralded as the proof of FDC’s commitment to Chatteris. We’ve been told that this shining beacon has allegedly 95% occupancy and is a real asset to the community. Is it ?

Rooms were to be available for hire for public events or meetings, but I’ve yet to meet anyone who has ever succeeded in hiring one, because the centre is closed in the evenings after 6.00 p.m. and at weekends - the very times one might want to book it.

Does it contribute to the local economy ? Unlikely - it doesn’t have reasonable pedestrian access to the pubs or tea room in Chatteris for a convivial working lunch.

Does it contribute to local employment ? It appears not. I include an e-mail from a local Chatteris job seeker passed to me :

“Speaking of the SFBC, what is with that place?!? I thought I'd be a bit pro-active and go see if I could find out what jobs there might be. I almost expected the receptionist to force me to sign the official secrets act just for asking what the companies do! As it was, she wouldn't tell me!

Then when I asked if there was somewhere they all advertised their vacancies I was directed to the leaflet wall and told I'd have to ask them directly. I enquired (very tentatively now, as it was like talking to the Gestapo) whether there was an intra-net where the companies in the SFBC might advertise all their vacancies, and was told no, they did not have that either, and NO I can't go round each of them unless I have an appointment! So I have to ask directly, but not directly, only by phone. Hmmm......?

You still can't see who's in there on their website! Makes me wonder more what they're all up to!!! Is the place likely to get bombed?? If so what's the likely blast radius, you and I might need to move!?!

So yeah, that's how I feel about those things, and you can quote me (as a "Chatteris Resident") if you feel it will help.”

The Ordnance Survey include “Secret Nuclear Bunkers” on their maps. This is an apparent oxymoron (a self - contradiction). What can we find out about the South Fens Business Centre? Their web site is so slow as to be useless. The FDC planning interactive map has crashed so I can’t check planning restraints there, and nowhere (that I can find) do they even publish a post code. The local authority generally refer to the clearly signed ‘Fenton Way’ as ‘Dock Road’ a problem which regularly results in an assortment of HGV’s pirouetting in central Chatteris !
So is the South Fens Business Centre therefor “more secret” than a ‘secret nuclear bunker’? Yes !

Walter Burnett is a mouse name.