Marshals deployed in all Allerdale towns
To support the re-opening of most businesses, street marshals will patrol the main shopping areas in our seven towns from 2 December through to Christmas Eve. The marshals will be there to encourage social distancing by providing friendly advice. We hope this will help businesses by providing reassurance to residents and visitors that it is safe to shop. Following an open competitive tender, an Allerdale company won the contract to provide the marshalls service.
They are also there to give friendly advice where possible, however, more detailed information can be found on our website.
What Tier 2 means for you
As of 00:01am on Wednesday 2nd December, Allerdale and the rest of Cumbria will be in Tier 2. To find out the latest guidance on what Tier 2 will mean for you, visit the central government website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-restriction-tiers-what-you-need-to-know
The guidelines surrounding Christmas will also be published shortly.
We have collated some helpful links that have been produced following the announcement of the tiered system:
- Information on consumer contracts, cancellations and refunds: click here to read
- A full list of what tier the rest of England are in, click here to read
- Primary guidance for restaurants, pubs and bars in accordance with the new tiered system, for information on how to trade safely please click here to read
- Downloadable posters for reference or to print and quick, easy bullet points on what businesses can and cannot open under the new Tier 2 system, click here to read
Business Community Facebook launched
We are pleased to launch our first business-focused Facebook group – Allerdale Business Community. We hope this platform will be a place to positively engage, contribute and forge relationships and networks within the business community. We’re here to support you, build relationships, and convey information quickly and easily that will help you and your business thrive.
The team here will administer the group, but we want it to become a space for businesses in Allerdale to get information, engage with others, and share their successes and concerns.
This is a closed group and therefore access is by invitation and request only. So if you run a business in Allerdale, however big or small, and would like to network, collaborate and engage with other like-minded people, please visit the link below:
Join Now
Search Local, Shop Local
The Cabinet Office are running a week-long campaign urging customers to search local and shop local this Christmas. Coinciding with Small Business Saturday which is the 5th December, their website includes a small business finder which is free for local retailers to appear on. All you need to do is sign up and you will be searchable before, during and after Small Business Saturday. Keep an eye on HM Government North Twitter page where they will be posting about various small businesses throughout the week.
If you would like to register to appear on the small business finder, please click here
If you would like to shop local this Christmas, check out all the small businesses in your area, click here to find out more.
Avoid fraud this Christmas
The experts at Get Safe Online have brought out a step by step guide on how to protect yourself from falling victim to seasonal scams.
We always have a lot on our minds at this time of year, but right now we have the added consideration of our own and loved ones’ health and wellbeing, as well as possible work and money uncertainties.
That’s why it’s especially important to safeguard yourself, your family and finances when you’re online.
Read more
Reminder of guidance for takeaway outlets
Our Food and Occupational Health team have received a number of queries about the use of face coverings for food and drink venues. Here is their latest advice.
By law, staff and customers of venues that provide food and drink will be required to wear a face covering, unless they have an exemption. By law, all businesses must remind customers and staff to wear a face covering where required (for example by displaying posters). You are expected to wear a face covering before entering any of these settings and must keep it on until you leave unless there is a reasonable excuse for removing it.
Employers must ensure all staff of venues that provide food and drink wear face coverings in areas that are open to the public and where they come or are likely to come within close contact of a member of the public, unless they have an exemption. Employers must not, by law, prevent their staff from wearing a face covering where they are required to do so.
Where face coverings are required for staff, businesses are expected to provide these as part of their health and safety obligations. However, staff are welcome to use their own face coverings if they choose
Read more
Suicide awareness training for employers
Every Life Matters will shortly be publishing a suicide awareness pack for all employers which will highlight the key signs someone is struggling and how to deal with this in the best way possible.
In the meantime, they are also offering a 60 minute free online course for anyone in Cumbria and covers myths and facts surrounding suicide, understanding signs someone may be at risk, talking comfortably and directly about suicide, how we can provide practical help, and the range of services and support that are available to someone.
To book your place visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/every-life-matters-19933502566
- 1st DEC @1pm
- 3rd DEC @10am
- 3rd DEC @12pm
- 8th DEC @2pm
- 15th DEC @7pm
Alternatively a range of other suicide prevention and mental health training can be delivered in person or online to your workplace, community group or home. Contact Ian Alcock, Suicide Safer Community Co-ordinator Allerdale and Copeland on ian.alcock@every-life-matters.org.uk or 074748 08761
Advice on offering substantial meals
Pubs and bars which already provide food may need to adapt their operating model to ensure that they are complying with the new regulations for service of a substantial meal .
Pubs and bars which have not previously offered food may also be considering whether and how they could provide substantial table meals in order to continue to operate.
If a pub/bar that has previously not offered food and wants to transition to providing a substantial meal itself, you will need to comply with legal requirements applying to food businesses. These include Food Safety, Health and Safety and COVID sure requirements.
If this is the case, then they should contact our Food Safety team prior to commencing with any food service by email at environmental.health@allerdale.gov.uk or by phone on 01900 702580
Cumbria Tourism occupancy survey
It might seem like a strange time for us to be thinking about occupancy data, given the current circumstances, but for Cumbria Tourism (CT), the data has proved to be absolutely crucial evidence in their lobbying activity, and their ability to assess the impact of the current lockdown on the tourism industry here. And now more than ever CT need information on business performance (in both the good times and the challenging times), to be able to do this effectively.
Therefore they are asking businesses to take part in their occupancy survey. It also provides data for you to benchmark, track and assess your performance, which can be useful for business planning, when applying for finance, and as independent evidence of occupancy levels if you decide to sell your business or need to claim on insurance. All data is held anonymously and you do not have to be a CT member to take part.
For more information, email Cumbria Tourism’s Research Manager Helen htate@cumbriatourism.org
Upcoming events and signposting
Cumbria Tourism (CT) are offering a webinar on Keeping Employees Happy, Healthy & Productive In 2021. CT member Cath Dutton from People Junction helps businesses support their staff at this difficult time, as well as looking ahead to employee wellbeing in 2021 and beyond. To register, click here
Cumbria Chamber of Commerce and the Cumbria Growth Hub have partnered with the online auditing tool Risk Dashboard to launch a free online toolkit to help businesses survive COVID. For more information and to apply for the free help, click here
Our friends at The Family Business Network have launched a new subscription service which offers subscribers to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of family business. The subscription offers access to interviews and discussions around those common place topics, wider network and media opportunities as well as making savings from Family Business Network hosted events. For more information, click here
They is also still time to buy tickets for their Global Family Business Learning Symposium which gives you access to download 24 hours of family business content to watch at your leisure! To check out their amazing line up and how to purchase tickets, click here.
