Chamber sued for £100,000
A BUSINESS adviser is suing Sheffield Chamber of Commerce for £100,000 for damage to his reputation after his name was included in a controversial mailshot.
Chris Ward, chair of the former Stocksbridge Business Development Forum, is claiming his standing was harmed when a copy of his signature was included without his knowledge in letters sent to 180 firms urging them to subscribe to the Chamber.
Mr Ward claims the unsolicited mailout sparked complaints from bosses and taunts from colleagues over his competence. He also claims the inclusion of an invoice in the letters was contrary to the Unsolicited Goods and Services Act.
He has lodged a claim for 100,000 damages at the Royal Courts of Justice in London and a hearing is set for December 15.
Mr Ward, of Fox Hill Road, Foxhill, set up SBDF five years ago with Objective One European money.
In 2008 it joined forces with Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Mr Ward says he struck a deal for SBDF's 180 members to join the Chamber for a year, free.
When that was over he claims the Chamber sent a mailshot informing the companies they would now have to pay.
Mr Ward said he was harangued by one angry boss who confronted him in a car park. He added: "The mailshot damaged five years of work and my reputation with people who were important to me. It also made it look as though I had broken the law.
"The Chamber apologised to me but I wasn't satisfied with it."
SBDF was based at Stocksbridge town hall before moving to Step Business Centre in Deepcar.
Nigel Tomlinson, chief executive of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, said: "As this matter, which is being dealt with by our legal representatives, is going through a judicial process we are unable to comment further at this time."
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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