Derby firms to be surveyed on COVID impacts

Derby businesses are being asked how the Coronavirus pandemic is impacting their operations and what help they need to recover.

The study will help the city shape its plans to kick-start the local economy post-lockdown and tailor the support it can offer to companies.

It aims to understand how firms have already been affected, whether they have had to furlough or lay off staff and whether they have accessed government loans or grants.

Companies are asked to give a view on the impacts still to come – on the size of their workforce, their markets, their product ranges and supply chains and to outline their chief concerns.

They are also being asked about the kinds of assistance they might need to bounce back, including financial support, business planning advice, help with exports or sourcing new suppliers.

The survey will take around 15 minutes to complete and data collected will guide the work of the Economic Recovery Task Force, a partnership which is harnessing expertise from the public and private sectors in the city. The St Peters Quarter BID and Cathedral Quarter BID are both members of the Task Force Steering Group.

Emails will be going out to companies in the next few days, with instructions on how to fill in the survey. Any firm that doesn’t receive an invitation to take part but that wants to can contribute online on the DCC website.