Northumberland gets £1.5m to support business, residents and tourist industry in recovery

The North of Tyne Combined Authority recently pledged £5 million to help businesses and communities in the North of Tyne area respond to Covid-19.

A grants of £1.5 million from the Covid-19 Capacity Fund was secured by Northumberland County Council.

The two main elements are an allocation of £970,000 to be coordinated through the Northumberland Business Support Hub and an allocation of £530,000 for employment and skills support.

The Business Hub support includes £230,000 which will allow the county council and Northumberland Tourism to work together on a range of initiatives to revitalise one of the county’s main economic drivers.

These include:

The development of a free COVID-19 online toolkit for tourism businesses to assist compliance with social distancing measures for both visitors and staff.A free enhanced listing for up to 1,300 businesses on a new digital tourism platform.The ability to fund specific Northumberland marketing activity and buy in to national and international opportunities to optimise Northumberland's position as lockdown and travel restrictions ease.Capacity to work with tourism partners and stakeholders to promote best practice and ensure a coherent approach to recovery.

The remaining Business Hub Support includes £460,000 to develop digital trading to help businesses prepare for the future, and £280,000 to provide technical and professional services to businesses to help them recover and thrive going forward.

The employment and skills funding will see hundreds of residents accessing a range of employment, mental health and wellbeing support and grants to scores of voluntary and community sector organisations providing employability, skills and inclusion services.

Council leader Peter Jackson said: “This funding will allow us to target some of our key areas which have suffered so badly over recent months since the country went into lockdown and support hundreds of businesses and residents as measures begin to ease.”

Coun Cath Homer, cabinet member for tourism, added: “Tourism is absolutely crucial to Northumberland’s economy, and this investment will play a big role in getting the sector back on its feet, and re-establish itself as one of the top UK destinations.”

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