Businesses in North Tyneside have praised a ‘lifeline’ support service which has helped protect and create jobs.
North Tyneside Council’s Business Recovery Programme continues to support more than 130 businesses in the borough since its launch earlier this year.
The scheme provides quick-access, free and practical hands-on support to help businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
So far it has helped safeguard 23 jobs and create two new jobs.
Businesses that have taken advantage say the scheme has proved invaluable in helping them cope with getting up and running again following the first national lockdown.
Vivienne Cuneen, who runs the Kumon study centre at the Linskill Centre in North Shields, said: “It’s been pretty testing moving the business from the classroom to online so I was incredibly grateful to the North Tyneside Business Recovery Programme, which has been a lifeline.
“I’ve had fantastic support from consultants to enable me to put in place some processes and mechanisms for me to take my business forward in terms of developing a marketing strategy and improving my interface and communication with customers.
“I’m really grateful and the whole process has given me the confidence to look forward and grow my business the way I originally intended to.”
Linda Robson only opened her dancewear shop The Dancers Pointe in Forest Hall in January and within three months had to close down when the pandemic struck.
The lockdown had a massive impact on her business but she was offered support via the North Tyneside Business Factory run through the council.
She said: “The support was absolutely superb. I needed some help looking after my website, making sure it was the way it should be and I got help with that and there was just someone at the end of the phone to talk to, to sound off to, to bounce ideas off.
“This was absolutely invaluable. Hopefully we’ll now go from strength to strength and we’ll still be here next year but without that support we just couldn’t have managed it so I can’t thank them enough – amazing.”
Dave Lattimer, who runs The QFit Gym in Dudley, added: “We’re an important resource for the local community and planning to reopen after lockdown has been pretty stressful.
“But the support we received from The Business Recovery Programme meant when we did reopen we were in a much stronger position that I thought would be possible at the time.
“We’ve been able to retain all our staff and services we provide and are now looking to take on another member of staff.”
Cllr Bruce Pickard, Deputy Mayor and cabinet member for Economic Development, said: “I am delighted to hear of the glowing reviews of our Business Recovery Programme from some of our local businesses who have taken full advantage of the free and invaluable services available.
“We’re lucky to have so many fantastic businesses in North Tyneside and we know how tough it is for them at the moment but there is help and support available and I would urge anyone who hasn’t already to get in touch with the team to find out more.”
The Business Recovery Programme offers a range of assistance including help with websites, social media and booking systems, a full sustainability review to help businesses lower their Carbon output, a rescue package and advice identifying new opportunities. It does not provide cash grants.
The programme is funded through the North of Tyne Combined Authority’s Covid-19 Capacity Fund, which has also helped establish a Back To Work team to give advice and guidance to residents who have lost their job, community grants to charities, the North Tyneside Snowman and Snowdog trail, enhanced start-up support for retail and online businesses and a marketplace project to help identify local suppliers of goods and services.
Get advice and information from the North Tyneside Business Forum . A Business Helpline with experienced advisers from the Business Factory is also available by calling (0191) 5166 699.