Long-awaited plans to catapult Crewe into the 21st century have been welcomed by the South Cheshire Chamber.
Chamber officials have been at the forefront of efforts to revitalise the town centre and unlock its potential as a high speed rail hub, lobbying on a national and regional level backed by major local employers.
Chief executive Paul Colman, a member of the recently-established Crewe Town Board, said: "At long last local people can see real change taking shape in Crewe including the redevelopment of the Market Hall and Royal Arcade site.
"The pandemic has had a massive impact on the local economy and the effects will be felt up and down the country, but despite this difficult situation, our area has the foundations to recover extremely well and become an even stronger economy.
"I am proud to be a member of the Crewe Town Board that is overseeing the delivery of the Government's £25m Towns Fund investment and the overall vision for Crewe and surrounding area. We will see investment close to £200m over a number of years helping to transform Crewe in readiness to embrace the growth generated by the arrival of high speed rail.
"This investment will enhance the town centre, transport infrastructure, education, night time economy as well as arts and culture.
"Meanwhile the area remains the envy of many places, as we have a strong economy with outstanding businesses and educational establishments and even before HS2 comes to town, we can shout about exceptional transport connectivity.
"Never has there been such a joined up focus on delivering a brighter future for Crewe. Along with a new vision for Crewe, there's no reason why this area cannot prosper and look forward to an exciting new chapter in its history."
Throughout 2020 the Chamber has continued to represent businesses during meetings with Cheshire East Council, Crewe Town Council, Cheshire & Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership and British Chambers of Commerce and others.
As members of the British Chambers of Commerce, the Chamber has fed-back issues facing local businesses and pushed the case for Government support.
Mr Colman added: "The Chamber has lobbied, supported and helped shape local strategies always mindful of our pledge to support the prosperity of South Cheshire.
"HS2 remains key and plans are now heading in the right direction for an infrastructure solution to be delivered at Crewe station to enable up to seven HS2 trains per hour from 2027.
"As we end the year, I would like to thank the local business community who have adapted to help support the fight against Covid-19 and continue to employ staff and keep the economy going. It's been an heroic effort."
Networking for South Cheshire businesses has continued online and there's a full programme for 2021 including events and seminars on the local economy, BREXIT, international trade, cybercrime and health and safety and more.
New connections continue to be made through virtual membership mornings, speed networking and coffee and chat events.
For information on membership go to www.sccci.co.uk or social media channels.