In order to support the badly hit visitor economy in Cumbria, all six local authorities in the county have come together to support 'Residents' Week'.
Cumbrian residents have the chance to win fantastic prizes as part of Cumbria Residents’ Week 2021. To be in with a chance of winning, you simply have to spend £10 or more with a participating business on any day between the 2nd and 10th October 2021.
Once you have made your qualifying purchase, you will be provided with a code from that business, which you need to enter into the dedicated Residents' Week website along with your contact details, to be automatically entered into the prize draw.
Businesses from across the county are encouraged to sign up and join in. The objective is to promote participating Cumbrian businesses operating within the visitor economy (e.g. attractions, cafes, accommodation providers) to Cumbrian residents. There is no cost for businesses to participate other than donating a prize (e.g. free entry / an overnight stay / a free meal / gift voucher) for the prize-draw and the scheme will be actively promoted by the project partners.
If you would like to take part, please follow the link here to sign up.
Check out which businesses are already involved on our dedicated website.
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With the gradual easing of lockdown and sunnier weather in the very near future, Cumbria cannot wait to welcome back its visitors and see its residents continue to explore all it has to offer.
The Lake District National Park's website now features their 'Safer Lakes' pages which details how busy car parks are in all the popular National Park areas. This is so you can plan ahead, park safely and sensibly and enjoy your trip. Rangers will be patrolling these areas from 9am - 5pm everyday so updates will be regular and accurate.
Although guidance is to minimise travel, we appreciate people will be travelling a little further than before to get daily exercise or meet up with friends and family. To find out more and pre-plan your journey, please check out the LDNP website here.
But remember, there are hundreds of stunning places to explore outside of the National Park which are less known about and therefore naturally quieter. For suggestions on where to explore in Allerdale, check out our Visit Allerdale website for tips and itineraries - https://visitallerdale.co.uk/
Monday 12th April signals the second phase of easing lockdown restrictions as part of the roadmap and means many of our non-essential facilities and services can reopen their doors.
Here is the official 'how the rules will change from April 12th' document created by the government - please click here.
We also have detailed reopening guidance on our website - please click here.
With lockdown rules now allowing people to meet outside in groups of up to six people, or two households, Cumbria County Council’s 11 rapid-result COVID-19 test centres are now able to offer tests to all Cumbrians.
The centres were previously only open to essential workers who were unable to work from home, but with people being able to mix more socially outside, the decision has been taken to make Lateral Flow Testing available to anyone in the community who does not have COVID-19 symptoms but wants a test to help keep themselves, their family and those they come into contact with, safe.
The current sites are in: Carlisle, Aspatria, Kendal, Penrith, Millom, Barrow in Furness, Dalton, Milnthorpe, Sedbergh, Workington and Whitehaven with others being scoped.
The rapid result test centre use Lateral Flow Device tests which are processed on site without needing to be sent to a laboratory. The tests give a result in 30 minutes and help identify asymptomatic carriers, people who do not feel unwell but do have COVID-19 and are infectious. These people can then self-isolate to protect others.
Getting tested is simple and takes about 15 minutes and results are sent by text or email normally within an hour, meaning people don’t have to hang around.
The tests are free and no booking is required, but please note the test sites are located in school premises, so are only open for testing at the times stated.
You can find out more on the Cumbria County Council website.
People who do have symptoms of coronavirus should book a test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119. They should not attend a Lateral Flow Community Testing Site with symptoms.
When are the Allerdale centres open?
Aspatria: Beacon Hill School, Market Square, Aspatria, CA7 3EZ
Saturdays 9.15am to 12.30pm
Workington: Workington Academy, Stainburn Rd, Workington, CA14 4EB
Monday 5.15pm to 7.30pm
Thursday 5.15pm to 7.30pm
(Please note that the Workington Academy test centre will be CLOSED on 5/4/21, 8/4/21 and 12/4/21).
The Government have put together 14 guides covering a range of business sectors looking at how they can work safely after reopening their doors for business.
Many businesses operate more than one type of workplace, such as an office, factory and fleet of vehicles. You may need to use more than one of these guides as you think through what you need to do to keep people safe. Priority actions are outlined at the top of each guide.
We believe the following bits of information from Cumbria Tourism will be really helpful, so please do take a look:
Share your concerns and inform our lobbying
As we prepare to welcome visitors back we have relaunched our Business Tracker Survey to collect vital evidence of business impact. DCMS have repeatedly and publicly thanked Cumbria Tourism for providing invaluable research evidence that has supported their asks to Treasury and other Government departments and we are keen to the Government directly informed and to shape and evidence any asks. As ever, your responses remain anonymous.
Take the survey HERE.
DMO Review
Some of you may be aware that the Government has commissioned a review into the country's DMOs, something that Cumbria Tourism has been lobbying for. We would welcome your views to support our submission. In the meantime, the review's questions can be viewed HERE and we will be contacting our members next to invite your input.
Track & Trace - new rules for data collection
An important update to the reopening guidance is the need to now collect Track and Trace details of ALL party members aged over 16, not just the lead guest. We are aware that this could create extra admin and confusion for businesses and alongside others have reported these concerns to Government. We will continue to monitor the situation but if you have any comments or complaints please don't hesitate to contact us.
Read the full guidance HERE.
Lake District chocolate maker’s £850,000 expansion plans -
Long-standing chocolatiers Friars is planning to transform its business with a £850,000 expansion – including the creation of a new factory and distribution centre in Penrith.
Friars, which owns chocolate shops in Keswick and Ambleside, has been supported by the Government’s Made Smarter initiative, which helps businesses take advantage of new technology.
To read more, click here.
New art gallery soon to be open in Cockermouth -
The Bridge Gallery, based on Main Street, Cockermouth, will be ready for customers come 12th April. After three years of dreaming of opening a gallery, owner and photographer Ben Bush is finally living the dream.
A website will be available to browse very soon!
Well done Ben!
It was also great to see the Castlegate Gallery, also in Cockermouth, get a mention in The Times over the weekend as one of the top ten galleries in the UK to visit post-lockdown, with a focus on their Bob Crossley showing
'Host of Golden Daffodils' -
Cockermouth looked a little brighter this week with the start of the Rotary Club's Host of Golden Daffodils event. One of their Facebook posts from last week, explains the reason behind the event:
"We had a little idea to ask those who were isolating to make some daffodils to decorate Cockermouth and add some joy for us all... for those walking round town each day, for those at home who wanted to have a purpose and to support our businesses as they come out of lock down.
Thank you to all those who contributed daffodils and thank you to my gorgeous band of helpers today"
For a look at some of the fab photos taken, please visit the Rotary Facebook Page.
Delight as community saves their Cumbrian village pub in Mawbray
A community group has achieved their dream of saving their village pub as a facility which can be used by residents and visitors.
Lowther Arms Community Project Ltd (LACP) has announced that it has been successful in its aim to buy the Lowther Arms, thanks to donors, shareholders and organisations that lent support.
The Lowther Arms hopes to re-open fully in time for summer. As the pub committee moves into the next phase of the project for re-opening, it first needs to re-assess what needs to be done to achieve this.
They will be seeking volunteers to help with the pub's makeover and will be recruiting for a chef and tenant. A Zoom meeting will take place on April 11 at 7pm, to welcome shareholders and to give more information on volunteering.
Read more here.
Changes to the national minimum wage
As an employer you need to be aware that National Living and Minimum Wage rates increased from 1 April 2021.
The National Living Wage will increase in April 2021 by 2.2% from £8.72 to £8.91 and will be extended to 23 and 24-year-olds for the first time.
Take these simple steps to meet your legal responsibilities and avoid falling foul of the law:
- Find out which staff are eligible for the new rate.
- Update the company payroll, and
- Communicate the changes to staff as soon as possible.
People underpin every successful business, and it is right they are treated fairly at work, receive a decent wage and have the opportunity to develop a career. More than 2 million people across the UK receive the National Living and Minimum Wage.
You can find out more by visiting gov.uk/checkyourpay
Lifetime skills guarantee scheme
Boosting the nation’s skills with the expertise employers need is a key part of the Government’s Plan for Jobs
- The Lifetime Skills Guarantee is part of the Government’s work to transform the adult education system so that businesses can find or develop talented people of all ages to fill skills gaps and help adults get the skills they need throughout their life, from free Level 3 qualifications and Skills Bootcamps, to basic skills offers and more.
As part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee, the Government is offering eligible adults the opportunity to take a free Level 3 qualification from a choice of courses focussed on the skills our economy needs
- All courses have been identified to help ensure good job prospects, focussing on areas where employers are looking for skills and leading to job opportunities that can help adults earn a good wage.
You can benefit by supporting your staff to upskill or reskill into a higher level role in your business, without needing to fund the training
- Hold onto your talented staff by helping them to gain a qualification and progress in your business.
Almost 200,000 vaccinations have been delivered in north Cumbria as of the 1st April 2021.
The latest figures show 199,675 vaccinations have been given in north Cumbria since
the programme started in December.
Figures published by NHS England today show that at least one dose has been given
in the following age groups:
• 76.6% of 50-54 year olds
• 87.8% of 55-59 year olds
• 95.5% 60-64 year olds
Teams are making progress with delivering the second dose. The latest figures show
that 12,138 of our over 80s have now had their second dose (19,293 have had their first).
Information about how the programme is working:
The programme is focusing on those identified by the Joint Committee for
Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI) Cohorts 1-9 – those aged over 50 or with
underlying health conditions. Some younger people may have been called to make
use of vaccines at the end of sessions to ensure vaccine isn’t wasted.
How do I get my covid vaccine?
There are two ways to get your covid vaccine.
• Your GP will invite you for the vaccine
• You will receive a letter from the National Booking Service and you will be
able to book at a community pharmacy or a Large Vaccination Centre
1) Our Primary Care Networks – groups of GPs working together – call their
patients when they receive supplies of the vaccine and can book people in. You can wait to be called locally, your practice will be in touch when it is your
turn.
2) The National Booking Service is also sending invite letters to people when
their cohort becomes eligible. This letter offers bookable opportunities. In
north Cumbria there are four bookable community pharmacies or centres:
• Boots in Carlisle
• Pharmacy2U at Dunmail Park in Whitehaven
• Seacliffe Pharmacy in Kells, Whitehaven
• Penrith Auction Mart Vaccination Centre.
You can book into this service when you get a letter from the National Booking
Service. But you do not have to take up this option – you can wait to be called by
your Practice. You don’t have to do anything.
Please note - centres only show on the National Booking Service when there are slots
available. If you can’t see the centre you are looking for it is advisable to try again
later on. Slots are regularly added into the system. You may be offered slots further
afield.
If you are booked in for a vaccine and then take up a more convenient appointment
you MUST cancel your original appointment so it can be offered to other people.
CLEP have put together the top ten trade facts to continue and further educate businesses who trade with the EU how to do so. Please click here to read.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson looks forward to a year of economic recovery at the second meeting of the Build Back Better Business Council as Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng write an open letter to businesses on the Government’s Plan for Growth. To read the full letter, click here.
Join other FSB Lancashire & Cumbria members and have your say on the current issues as we move towards ending lockdown. Grants, funding, managing teams and premises , furlough, generating new sales, all of these topics are open for discussion as we bring small business owners together to share ideas and experiences. To register, click here.
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