As Lancashire is now well into its first week of Tier 3 restrictions, we wanted to update you on some of the opportunities available to support your business, and promote your business to encourage as much business as possible.
As government guidance for a Tier 3 area states that travel into or out of the area should be limited and essential only, we need to tweak our messaging slightly to focus once again on future visits to the County as well as maximising our local audience and encouraging consumers to enjoy and visit venues right here on their doorstep. Find out more about the opportunities available below.
At last week’s Partners meeting we mentioned the upcoming Peer Network funded programme which Marketing Lancashire is working alongside Boost to deliver to a cohort of leisure and tourism businesses. Find out more below.
If you didn’t make it to our partners meeting, you can watch it on playback here.
At this stage, we are still awaiting further information on eligibility and access to funding from the Government moneys negotiated by Lancashire County Council’s – as soon as we have more details we will be sharing them.
Visit Lancashire News & Opportunities
New funded Peer Networks programme for Lancashire businesses
Marketing Lancashire is working alongside Boost; Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub, to deliver a national business support programme for Lancashire businesses.
Peer Networks is for SME leaders that want to improve their business resilience and reach their goals by working with likeminded leaders and addressing key challenges.
The fully-funded programme will see the creation of a series of Peer Networks (cohorts) through the Boost network, with each group consisting of 8-11 owners or managers from SME businesses.
Marketing Lancashire will be delivering Peer Networks: Redefining Leisure and Tourism. The Marketing Lancashire
Peer Network programme will support senior leaders in tourism and hospitality SME’s by facilitating the generation of practical solutions to the challenges and impacts arising from COVID-19. Topics covered may include sales and marketing, digital and e-commerce, business resilience and innovation for sustainable business growth.
The support will be delivered through a series of high impact group sessions, with each cohort led by an expert facilitator.
Boost is Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub. It is led by the Lancashire LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) and Lancashire County Council and supported by funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Peer Networks is funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in response to a commitment made in the 2019 Business Productivity Review.
It is available to any small or medium sized business that has:
• Operated for at least one year
• At least five employees
• A turnover of at least £100,000
• An aspiration to improve
Ideally, participants should also have:
• The potential to scale up
• The ability or potential to export
We are now seeking expressions of interest to take part in our Peer Network.
To find out more information or to express an interest in taking a place on our leisure and tourism cohort please contact us by Wednesday 28th October. Places are limited, so don’t miss out on your opportunity to access this valuable programme of fully funded support.
We will be promoting our partners to our Visit Lancashire database and social media channels over the next few weeks to promote the Lancashire staycation and the many adventures which local people can enjoy, right here on their doorstep.
With half term ahead, we want to make sure your business is still welcoming as many visitors as you can, so please let us know your special offers, Covid-safe events and adventures as well as any late availability you have.
118,000 average monthly website visits on a website that is top on organic searches for “special offers Lancashire”
15,000 consumers on our opted in Visit Lancashire database.
25.8k facebook followers, average reach 780k per month
51k twitter followers, average reach 200k per month
8.7k Instagram followers
Kickstart Tourism Grants
If you have submitted an Expression of Interest for the Kickstart Tourism Grants, please check your inboxes as Boost have replied to all EOI’s now and invited many to complete a full application. There is only a 3 week deadline for submitting your full application and please be aware that for Tourism business in Lancashire, you may apply for up to £5000, even if this is more than you included on your original EOI. Unfortunately, if you haven’t already completed an EOI for the funding, the scheme is now closed to new applicants.
Partner Information Hub
For general information and business advice regarding COVID-19 please click here
Get involved with our FREE #RedefiningLancashire campaign here
VisitBritain/VisitEngland have launched their 'We're Good to Go' scheme, a COVID-19 industry standard and consumer mark.
Boost have launched an #AskForHelp campaign will include a dedicated helpline to advise companies in Lancashire about key business-related issues and connect them with experts from the public and private sector.
