Weymouth Town Centre Management Group convened for a virtual Zoom meeting on Thursday 23rd April. Partners in attendance at this meeting included: Weymouth Town Council, Dorset Council, Weymouth BID, Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce, Dorset Police, Weymouth Area Development Trust and the Civic Society.
The meeting was well attended, with updates and discussions on the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 and the significant effect this is having on our local businesses being the main focus, along with the concerns of those stakeholders present. This also included how all partner organisations can best help inform and ensure that businesses are aware of the extensive business support measures being available nationally and locally at this time.
Following on from the meeting, Dorset Council have issued further business advice and guidance as part of their regular newsletters.
We would encourage all businesses to sign up to receive Dorset Council’s newsletters, if you have not already done so, and to encourage other businesses to register. This is one of the best ways to get the latest information on business support. Please visit news.dorsetforyou.gov.uk/e-news-sign-up/ to sign up to these e-newsletters.
Cllr Colin Huckle, Chair of the Weymouth Town Centre Management Group, said:
“COVID-19 has and will change the way our town centre operates short term and possibly long term, so it is important to have open discussions regarding this and make sure that the group puts every effort into supporting our local businesses.”
Claudia Moore, Vice Chair of the Weymouth Town Centre Management Group and Weymouth BID Chief Operating Officer, said:
“Weymouth BID feel that it is of the utmost importance to work with both Dorset Council and Weymouth Town Council to forge a successful way forward after the lockdown period ends. Although we still need some clarity with regards to social distancing in the future, we are committed to promoting Weymouth together to ensure that our visitors return.”
Craig Oakes, Vice President of Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce, said:
“I have been working directly with Ian Girling CEO of Dorset Chamber and the other town chambers to lobby the government via The British Chambers of Commerce to try to make sure that our local businesses are not slipping through the net of the schemes that have been put in place by the office of the treasury. We will continue to monitor the situation as the situation unfolds and take action as and when the frequent changes we are encountering at the moment happen.”
“We are also working closely with Weymouth BID to help share information between each other so that businesses are supported as much as they possibly can be. We have been working to ensure that as many businesses as possible are aware of the vital information at this time and have been using social media and our website to communicate this.”
Guidance and support available to businesses can be found below:
Government Business Support
www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/
www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder
Dorset Council’s Business Support
Dorset Growth Hub – COVID-19 Support and Webinars
www.dorsetgrowthhub.co.uk/covid-19/
Dorset Chamber of Commerce – Business Support and Impact Survey
www.dorsetlep.co.uk/covid19-business-impact-survey
Visit Dorset – Tourism Impact Survey (deadline Wednesday 29th April)
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZNvGFKd8qUDbvOac84kmzqL6sl6I63FguzqO_1g92HWpEsA/viewform
Weymouth Town Council – COVID-19 support webpage
www.weymouthtowncouncil.gov.uk/news/who-can-help-you-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic/
