Rossendale website set for expansion under new ownership

Date published: 22 March 2010

One of the leading news and community websites in Rossendale- Ask Rossendale - is under new ownership, and is ready to move up to new levels of involvement in the valley.

In a surprise move, Catherine Murphy FCCA, of Larner Murphy Accountants Limited, has taken ownership of the popular website, and has a strong business plan to develop the site.

Currently based at the Mary Hindle Centre in Haslingden, Catherine is bringing her large network of business contacts to Ask Rossendale. She said: ‘ I am really excited about the opportunity that Ask Rossendale offers me personally, and also many of my clients.

Through Iain and Margaret Wight (the previous owners), this website has become established right across the Rossendale community with a great reputation for community news and events. ‘

‘What many people may not realise is that it also has one of the best business listings in the valley, and I want to make Ask Rossendale the No 1 website in the valley for business people. I have a lot of information that is helpful to local businesses, and I plan to make that information known through the website – so if you have a business, Ask Rossendale should be the first place you look each day.’

Previous owners, Iain and Margaret Wight, are delighted with the new situation. Catherine invited Iain to remain on the Board of Directors and luckily for us all they are both very much thrilled to still be involved. Iain commented: ‘Our personal circumstances have changed in the last few months, and I could not give the website the level of commitment that it deserved. We were thrilled when Catherine expressed an interest, and we share a common vision for the future of this innovative website.’

The new owner has a number of actions planned to take the site onto a new level, and these will become clearer in the weeks ahead. One thing that has already happened is that Ask Rossendale now has a physical presence in the valley. Mr Wight added: ‘ We always knew that, since the Free Press left the valley, there needed to be a place where people could go with their news items, events,and adverts.’

‘ Right now, Ask Rossendale is based at the Mary Hindle Centre –right alongside Rossendale Radio, offering a new level of community and business information. What was lost when the Free Press left town, is now being restored by Ask Rossendale.’

‘Margaret and I wish Catherine well in this new venture for her and her team, and we are looking forward to working alongside her in the future, in our new roles.’

Catherine Murphy FCCA is also a member of the PEER Board and is looking to develop business networking in Rossendale in a variety of ways. ‘ Unless our small businesses work together and network with each other, they will find it hard to survive in this continuingly difficult economic climate. With Ask Rossendale, networking becomes an easy, cost effective and profitable option.

Catherine and her new team, including Iain and Margaret, are hoping to announce a ‘re-launch’ event very shortly.