COVID-19 Support
As well as delivering exciting new projects over the next 5 years to help the town’s businesses under 3 new themes, we are also committed to providing further COVID-19 support throughout 2021 and beyond, for as long as it is needed.
Our COVID-19 Support
When the UK entered lockdown in March 2020 we quickly re-assessed our work and acted to support businesses, listening and responding to new needs. Our response has been in three key stages:
React
With the closure of all non-essential business our immediate response was to provide:
- Regular communications regarding Government guidelines and support via social media, website and newsletter
- A new area on our website dedicated to promoting new services provided by business e.g. new delivery and takeaway services, new opening hours, new online products. This was promoted via social media
- A new free e-learning programme in partnership with Coleg Ceredigion for businesses and employees to access qualifications whilst on furlough leave
Reopen
As lockdown was due to ease, our focus shifted to helping our businesses and the town to be in a position to welcome customers and visitors again safely. We provided:
- Over 2,000 items to businesses as part of Free Re-opening Packs, including signage, floor tape, hand sanitizers, face masks and visors
- Free COVID-19 training course in partnership with Coleg Ceredigion
- Outdoor furniture to the hospitality sector
- Digital thermometers to hairdressers, barbers, beauticians and tattooists
- Shop front cleaning service
Recover
After the majority of businesses re-opened we started to focus on the short and long term recovery, with projects focusing on encouraging footfall back to the town. These included:
- Creating new Café Quarter areas to improve the long term permanent outdoor seating offer within town helping visitors to feel safe
- Providing additional free hand sanitiser products after the second lockdown in November 2020
- Delivering the ‘Siop Aber—Caru Aber’ shop local loyalty card and gift voucher scheme, rewarding people for spending in local shops and businesses over Christmas 2020 and into 2021. The project re-invested £70,000 in the local economy.
- Set up a new partnership with Voluntary Group ‘Caru Aber’ providing them with resources and equipment to deliver projects to make the town cleaner and more welcoming
- Funding a Facebook advertising campaigns for businesses during winter 2020
- Delivering Virtual Business Networking events (in Feb 2021), providing advice and support in relation to COVID-19 and adapting new business approaches and services in order to operate successfully under the new restrictions and circumstances
