Partnership for tourism and hospitality support in Bucks set to continue

Visit Bucks and Bucks Business First have helped companies through the pandemic

Author: Scarlett Bawden-GaulPublished 21st Jul 2021

A partnership to support the tourism and hospitality industry in Buckinghamshire is continuing.

Visit Buckinghamshire and The Chilterns - the Tourist Board for Buckinghamshire - has spent the past 15 months helping many of these, and the wider visitor economy, with business support, advice and opportunities to promote their businesses.

They have been working with Buckinghamshire Business First, who manage them to provide support and advice for venues and businesses throughout the pandemic.

The result has been an extensive programme of support which has included delivering Masterclasses, 1-2-1 business surgeries, Peer Networking, Covid Recovery webinars, and administering Restart Grants.

As the lockdown restrictions start easing, the sector still has a long way to go in terms of recovery and rebuilding and this will not happen overnight.

Because of this, the pair are continuing their partnership to support any business that needs it from this point forward, this will be helped by funding they have received.

Lucy Dowson, Tourism Development Manager of Visit Bucks, said:

“Rebuilding and recovering is a huge priority but it wont happen overnight and in the mean time there are difficulties that need to be addressed.

"We are thrilled to learn we have been successful in getting through the 1st round of the Community Renewal Fund, a £220 million UK wide-fund launched by the government earlier in the year.

"It is a direct result of our partnership with Buckinghamshire Business First that we can take advantage of local and national opportunities, such as the Community Renewal Fund to help our sector. We keep our fingers crossed that we get into the final selection of geographies to benefit from the fund.

"Being able to support Buckinghamshire businesses has been amazing this last year, there have been some difficulties but we have also seen great ideas shared.

"Businesses don't need to be struggling to come to us, they can just enjoy the sense of community and culture you get from being amongst other tourism and hospitality groups.”

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.