New support to help Linlithgow businesses
A West Lothian Business Improvement District has secured funding to help firms through the coronavirus crisis.
Linlithgow’s whole- town Business Improvement District, One Linlithgow, has secured £15,000 Scottish Government funding via Scotland’s Towns Partnership.
The money, co-signed by West Lothian Council, will also be used where possible to support local vulnerable people.
Manager, Eddie Linton-Smith, said: “Businesses are usually pretty low down the pecking order for public support, but with lockdown bringing the economy to its knees, the funding will help provide some security to local businesses and prepare them for the future.
“Even those that didn’t need to close down will need to make changes. We’ve already been supplying hand sanitiser, so our members can operate responsibly and safely, but this money will help us provide much more than that.
“Some of the money will be going towards improving the “MyLinlithgow. com” website, on which we collaborate with Linlithgow Community Development Trust. We already publish a list of businesses that are still open, but we want to integrate that better with the town’s digital media.
“There’s also a list of local and national events and classes, which are obviously being held online for the time being. We want to get that list complete, then spread the word far and wide.
“We want to help people find things that would interest them, to relieve the lockdown boredom and stay involved with the community.”
While One Linlithgow usually operates as a Business Improvement District, or BID, the funding expands the scope of the organisation to include supporting vulnerable people.
Already, Linlithgow is well served by community groups, and an army of volunteers.
Eddie continued: “The bad situation has really brought out the best in people. For us, that has meant working much more closely with these community groups, whereas under normal circumstances we might be more likely to operate in our own bubbles.”