COVID - 19 UPDATE

Message from the Lincolnshire Coastal BID Board

As we continue to monitor the situation surrounding COVD-19, we are deeply saddened at how it is already affecting and may continue to affect businesses the BID Area.

Whilst it is ‘business as usual’ to some extent, we will still be operating from our office, at Skegness Town Hall and you will be able to contact us as normal by phone or email.

As a small team it’s often difficult to keep up to date with such a fast moving and complex issue and as such we are delighted that Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce has agreed to support us with information and guidance on this issue.

At this difficult time, we appreciate there is a lot of uncertainty but it’s now, more important than ever to club together and against the odds support each other where possible. We would like to take this opportunity to remind you of how we and the Lincolnshire Chamber can help you through this difficult time:

SIGNPOST and SUPPORT – The chamber has links with government, local and national, so this puts us in the perfect positions to signpost and support you. Daily updates and resources can be found on the Chamber website https://www.lincs-chamber.co.uk/coronavirus-business-support/

SHARE your good news – send us your news stories to marketing@lincs-chamber.co.uk – whether this is how your business is coping with the current uncertainty, you’ve set up a community scheme to help others or something unrelated to current happenings, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

ENGAGE with us on Social Media – we want to share your messages, your voice and your business news, tag us and the chamber in your posts and we’ll share with our network too – we are bigger and stronger together.

Continue to CONNECT and COLLABORATE with us – knowing where to turn at such a difficult time is worrying for anyone, but here at the BID and Chamber we want to support you through it, so please do continue to connect with us, our teams are here to help , signpost and support.

We can REPRESENT you and your voice – something of utmost important currently, we are in daily conversations with our national body, British Chambers of Commerce, surrounding topics such as; cash flow, staff shortages and supply chain breakdown, among others.

Knowledge Sharing

Many businesses are in the process of implementing measures to protect their employees and stakeholders, some of these actions include:

• Introducing internal policies to mitigate the risks posed by the virus.
• Actively encouraging hygiene levels to be raised within premises and promoting the handwashing campaign.
• Displaying public signage in communal eating areas and toilets.
• Screening visitors to workplaces through questionnaires.
• Limiting involvement in large meetings.
• Reviewing their remote working policy and feasibility of splitting the workforce.

Advice to Businesses

To assist employers and businesses, the government have published specific coronavirus guidance that may assist to strengthen economic resilience across the business community. Full details can be accessed via this link. Some key points covered within the article include:

• Guidelines covering personal hygiene and preventing the spread of infection – includes office and public space cleanliness.
• What to do if an employee becomes unwell and may have been exposed to COVID-19.
• Certifying absence from work.
• What to do if an individual suspected of having COVID-19 has been in your premises.

Additional recommended publications include:

• Coronavirus: Advice for Employers and Employees
• Overseas travel
• The Government’s Response. Includes a detailed guide to the government’s response and includes recommended publications and specialist blogs.
• NHS Overview. Provides valuable public health information on the coronavirus and important advice on the associated risks.
• Latest Government Advice. Contains a comprehensive breakdown of all coronavirus areas of concern.
• Twitter Updates. Receive accurate and reliable information directly from the UK Department for Health and Social Care.
• Business Support. Following the Chancellor’s business support announcement relating to the Covid-19 outbreak, we are keen to ensure that you have access to Gov.uk information as soon as it is available. The relevant Gov.uk page can be found at: http://bit.ly/2TXegwO

We are continuing to encourage members to focus on the guidance that has been given by Government and we have information readily available and updated as things change on the Chamber’s Coronavirus Hub, located on their website here.