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Stuart Elford, CEO of Devon & Plymouth Chamber, talks about improved support for local businesses and building a stronger Chamber for all.

With another national lockdown now in effect, uncertain times lay ahead for many businesses throughout the South West. However, it has been announced this month that we may be out of recession for the period where we came out of lockdown.

And although we obviously fear that there will be a further dip as we go forward, it does look like there’s going to be an end to this and I think we are going to come out of this much more quickly than people think.

This has been boosted by extra support from the Government, with the furlough scheme being extended for another month and extended welfare support for the self-employed.

Businesses in Plymouth can also now apply for financial support if they have been forced to close due to Covid-19 restrictions.

We’re still getting plenty of calls from businesses who are interested in taking part in the Kickstart Scheme.

We appreciate the frustration that some employers have over the delays in finding a young person and placing them with you.

This is completely out of our control and down to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) doing fiscal and appropriate checks on those employers before the placements start. We’re chasing DWP, so please bear with us and do give that young person a placement. During all of this, the most important thing we want you to remember is that you are not alone.

That’s why we’ve also launched our exclusive ‘1-2-1’ service, which offers vital help, advice and support for your business when you need it the most.

Chamber members can book a free one-to-one support call with our team to gain the best guidance possible. We can help you find the right solutions, particularly the support available to you during the pandemic and how to access it.

And thanks to our ever-growing members list, we are also able to draw on the experience of the region’s brightest business minds to offer fantastic advice at what is a worrying time for many.

We know that businesses are ready to get out there, ready to get back to work, and we’re campaigning to allow you do that where you can do so in a COVID-safe manner.

So, keep your business going and keep in touch with us. This is your time to be part of the Chamber family and we can help you not just survive but thrive.