THE man who donated the time capsule that was buried beneath the town hall as part of the Millennium celebrations has become the new president of the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce.

Anthony Wells took over as president at the chamber's annual meeting held on Thursday in the Castle and Ball Hotel. He was welcomed by Florence Cavanagh, who had taken over as acting president after Kevin Ellis resigned the office after taking new employment in Reading. Mr Ellis was elected president last year.

A vote of thanks was given to Mrs Cavanagh, who has stood down from the chamber's committee after 14 years.

Mr Wells lives in London Road in Marlborough, where his company Millennium Time Capsules is based. He is employed as a scientist at the Boscombe Down experimental airfield and also runs the Papillon Disco.

Mr Wells said the chamber needed to recruit more members as its current membership of about 50 represented only one in four of the town's businesses.

He said: "Our membership took a dive last year when subscriptions went up (from £25 to £50) but we hope to see some of these members coming back."

Mr Wells said the chamber had an essential role to play in the vitality of the town and needed to be representative of the business sector. He said: "We need to sell ourselves more."

The chamber, said Mr Wells, continued to organise running the town's Christmas lights and was organising the Spirit of Christmas late night shopping and entertainment evening again this December. He said: "If we cut out the Christmas Lights and the Spirit of Christmas just see what an uproar there would be around this place."

James Caldwell, whose investment company AIS gave a £3,000 donation for last year's Spirit of Christmas, revealed he had doubled his sponsorship this year.

Mr Caldwell, who lives in St John's Close, has joined the organising committee and is hoping to get charity status for the event and encourage more sponsorship.

Other chamber officers elected were Philip Marsh, vice president and treasurer; Cynthia Hamson, secretary; and committee members Caroline Clarkson-Coles and Philip Kearly.