THE chairman of a business association has criticised what he sees as a lack of support from many companies.

Don Moore feels Thirsk and District Business Association has no support locally and says many businesses show no interest in most of the major issues facing them.

The chamber regularly attracts about a dozen people to its monthly meetings, but Mr Moore questioned why more people who were invited did not attend

He said: "My question to these people is what do they want?

"They've been invited to association meetings but they don't come along and air their views or make a statement or complain about anything."

He added: "We are not getting the support, yet the more support we have, the more force we will have.

"Whatever we try to do there's no one backing us up at all."

The association is open to any business in Thirsk and the surrounding villages. Meetings are at the Three Tuns Hotel, in Thirsk market place, on the first Tuesday of each month.

For details contact the association on 01845-522333.