Swindon & Wiltshire News
Report details how Growth Hub helped thousands of businesses through pandemic
More than 1,000 businesses received one-to-one support through the first year of the pandemic, with more than 1,600 receiving information and 642 getting advice and guidance according to an impact report published by the Swindon and Wiltshire Growth Hub today (Thursday).
The report – which covers the period from March 2020 to March 2021 – details how, following a decision to make the organisation the go-to portal for business support in Swindon and Wiltshire, the Hub saw a whopping 1,951 increase in telephone enquiries (up from 281 the year before to 5,484) and a 690 percent increase in web chats.
Visitors to the Growth Hub website nearly doubled (97 percent) to 63,000.
The number of businesses seeking guidance and clarity increased from 133 to 643, or 483 percent, while the number of businesses requiring one-to-one support saw a 1,125 percent increase from 24 to 270.
Ninety-nine individuals were helped to launch a new business during the pandemic. Others were pointed towards funding schemes to help them pivot their businesses to a model that could continue trading through the lockdowns.
The Swindon and Wiltshire Growth Hub is the business support arm of the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership, providing fully funded guidance and signposting for businesses.
Growth Hub manager Chris Stevens said: “The purpose of the report is to document the most adverse of trading times during the pandemic over the last year, told through the eyes of our local business community.
“With themes of resilience, positivity and diversification, businesses have shown incredible agility and flexibility to counter the effects of the pandemic.”
During the period the 12-strong Growth Hub team also had to help businesses prepare for Brexit and ready firms and workers in Swindon for the closure of the Honda plant.
The full report can be read at https://growthhub.swlep.co.uk
