COVID-19 – Resources for Businesses

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is a rapidly changing situation with information changing on a daily basis.

In an effort to signpost information for our members and other businesses working in the tourism and hospitality industry, on this page you'll find helpful links to the most up to date information from the UK Government and key partners.

We anticipate that this information will be updated frequently so please check back regularly.

Last updated: 15:24, 25 January 2021

Jump to:

Support and advice from VisitBritain | Government support for Businesses | Bristol City Council | Local Information for Businesses | Public Health Information | Get in touch 

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Support and advice from VisitBritain / VisitEngland

Find specific information for tourism, hospitality and event businesses through VisitBritain and VisitEngland.

• Business advice hub - helping your tourism business to grow, with practical tips, legal obligations and local support
• Latest information on COVID-19 - latest tourism-related news and information for UK tourism businesses on the outbreak of COVID-19

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Government Latest Updates

Update: Prime Minister announces National Lockdown - 04 January 2021

The Prime Minister has announced a national lockdown and instructed people to stay at home to control the virus, protect the NHS and save lives. These new restrictions come into place from Wednesday 6 January.

The below businesses and venues must close:

• Non-essential retail, such as clothing and homeware stores. These venues can continue to be able to operate click-and-collect (where goods are pre-ordered and collected off the premises) and delivery services.
• Hospitality venues such as cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and social clubs; with the exception of providing food and non-alcoholic drinks for takeaway (until 11pm). All food and drink (including alcohol) can continue to be provided by delivery.
• Accommodation such as hotels and guest houses except for specific circumstances, such as where it is essential to stay there for work purposes
• Leisure and sports facilities such as leisure centres and gyms, swimming pools and golf courses.
• Entertainment venues such as theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and casinos.
• Animal attractions such as zoos, safari parks, aquariums, and wildlife reserves.
• Indoor attractions at venues such as botanical gardens, heritage homes and landmarks must also close, though outdoor grounds of these premises can stay open for outdoor exercise.
• Personal care facilities such as hair, beauty, tanning and nail salons.

Full details on the national lockdown restrictions can be found here.

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Government Guidance

Please check this regularly as guidance and available support is being updated on a daily basis.

• Visitor economy guidance
• Hotels and other guest accommodation guidance
• Food businesses guidance
• Performing arts industry guidance
• Guidance for people who are fit and well
• Guidance for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable
• Guidance for households with confirmed or possible coronavirus infection

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Government Business Support

Find out more about the full range of business support measures available to UK businesses and employees.

• Chancellor announced £4.6 billion in new lockdown grants to support businesses and protect jobs - businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors are to receive a one-off grant worth up to £9,000
• Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) - has been extended until the end of April 2021 with employees receiving 80% of their current salary for hours not worked
• Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) - will increase from 50% to 80% of average trading profits
• Business evictions ban extended until March - business owners affected by the pandemic will be protected from eviction until the end of March 2021
• Loan schemes application deadlines extended - the application deadlines for the Coronavirus Bounce Back Loan has been extended until 31 January 2021
• People who have lost their job - the guidance for people who were employed and have lost their job due to coronavirus has been updated
• Support of exisiting economic support - here is a comprehensive summary of the support on offer.
• Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme - the Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme will repay employers the Statutory Sick Pay paid to current or former employees

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Other Government Updates

• From Monday 18 January all travel corridors with the UK have been suspended, a pre-departure test is required on arrival followed by 10 days self-isolation, tests will be at the cost of the traveller to protect the capacity of NHS Test and Trace.
• Global Travel Taskforce recommendation report - report recognises the importance of international travel to the UK
• New Safer Working Materials from the Coronavirus Resource Centre - online resources to communicate the National Lockdown restrictions

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Bristol City Council

Find out information from local government, including grants and funds, volunteer opportunities and FAQs.

• Local Restrictions Support Grant & Closed Businesses Lockdown Payment - if your business has been forced to closed due to the national lockdown, or if you were closed due to Tier 3 restrictions, you may be eligible for a grant
• Christmas Support Payment - the application deadline for wet-led pubs is Sunday 31 January
• Test and Trace Support Payments - grants of £500 are available to people in low paid employment or people who are unable to work from home and will lose income
• Information for businesses - details of the package of measures announced by government to support businesses through this period of disruption
• Business rate discount - from April 2020 to March 2021, for one year only there is a full discount which has been widened to include retail, hospitality and leisure venues
• South Bristol Enterprise Support (SBES) - The programme combines advice, mentorship, business support and funding opportunities for new entrepreneurs and existing SMEs throughout South Bristol
• Green Business Grants - West of England Green Business Grants support small to medium sized businesses and enterprises to improve their energy efficiency
• Sign up to receive the council’s regular email - Bristol City Council has launched a regular email for businesses to help them through this uncertain time and beyond

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Heritage Support

• Further Grants for Heritage - The National Lottery Heritage Fund has opened the second round of heritage funding for organisations in England. The second round consists of £36m and the National Heritage Lottery Fund will be offering grants of between £10,000 and £3m to support organisations to make the transition towards full reopening. Applications are open until 2pm on 26 January 2021.

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Wellbeing in the Workplace

Many people are struggling not only with the restrictions but also the added stress of working from home whilst finding a work-life balance. However, there are many mental health support tools available, and we want to make sure as many people as possible are using these resources.

• Business toolkits
• Wellbeing resources from Business in the Community
• COVID-19: employee health and wellbeing toolkit
• Mental Health resources from Mental Health at Work

• Crisis and suicidal thoughts
• Samaritans helpline
• Free Suicide Prevention training
• NHS Mental Health Crisis helpline

• Mental Health and Problem Debt
• Advice and support with debt
• Debt and coronavirus information
• Coronavirus, universal credit and benefits help

• Self Help and maintaining resilience
• Every Mind Matters

• West of England specific support
• Thrive at Work from WECA 
• Emotional support helplines from Bristol Mind

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Local Information for Businesses

More local information for businesses including business information and advice, travel information and news.

• Bristol City Centre BID - COVID-19 information and news page for Bristol BID levy payers and stakeholders
• 24 Hour Bristol - The 24 Hour Bristol Commission is the voice of Bristol’s 24 hour economy and represents the night-time, high street and leisure industries
• West of England Growth Hub - hub to support small and medium-sized enterprises access Government support, as well as providing other help and guidance. As part of the Together West of England campaign West of England Combined Authority have released a Business Support Guide to help you navigate the wide range of support on offer.
• Business West - trading through coronavirus hub page
• Travelwest - latest information and advice on travel around Bristol
• Business in the Community - has launched the National Business Response Network to identify needs across the UK and match them to the right business support

Links to other local authority information:

• South Gloucestershire Council
• North Somerset Council
• Bath and North East Somerset Council
• Somerset County Council

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Public Health Information

• NHS advice - find out how to protect yourself from the virus on the NHS website.
• Public Health England - coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance

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Get in touch

Our team are currently still working from home, but we're still here to support you in any way we can. Please continue to get in touch via email or social media - we'd love to hear from you. If you have any specific questions about your membership or have any other business concerns, please get in touch with Faye Batchelor on faye.batchelor@visitbristol.co.uk.

Please follow us on LinkedIn, where we will be sharing regular updates.