The past few months have continued to be unusual from a parliamentary perspective. Holding meetings online has also been a new experience. As Chair of the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee I have attended virtual meetings with both the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, where I have pressed over the support available for businesses. Each time I nervously feared my children would come through the door at any moment.
I have very much missed being able to get fully out and about in Central Devon, with meetings over the past few months typically being held online or over the phone. But this has started to change and in the last week I have criss-crossed our constituency, working with local businesses to get the message out that our shops are open for business.
In Ashburton I met with the new Chair of Ashburton Chamber of Trade Lydia Wood outside her wonderful antiques business ‘In a Nutshell’. We were joined by local Teignbridge Councillor Sarah Parker-Khan and Town Clerk Bruce Broughton and discussed the excellent work the Chamber is doing to support local businesses. There are few towns of Ashburton’s size anywhere in the country that can compete with its variety of independent shops and although many are benefiting from the tourist trade, the autumn may prove to be more challenging. The £10,000 grants for smaller traders, interest free bounce-back loans and furlough support have been key in helping these vital shops to survive. The message for all of us now is simple – if we want our shops to thrive, we must support them.
It was also good to drop into Ashburton Information Centre which has had a makeover. Helen Wilson is doing a fantastic job in manning the centre, keeping it open and ensuring visitors who want to find out about a particular tourist attraction or shop can access that information. Another way the centre is helping the local economy is by displaying and selling items of local craftwork.
In Chudleigh I visited the Sugar Mill and spoke with owners Anna and Lee Powell about Government support for businesses. They described their £10,000 grant, which was easy and quick to apply for, as a ‘Godsend’. It has made a huge difference to them and trade has started to pick up in the town. I am concerned though that many eligible businesses have not yet claimed the grant (around 80,000 are in this bracket nationally) and I would strongly urge all businesses that have not done so get in touch with their local authority and apply as soon as possible. This is a grant – it does not need to be paid back. For businesses that are mainly used as a venue for hospitality, retail or leisure, the grant could be even larger – up to £25,000.
For more from Mel follow him on twitter @MelJStride or visit www.melstridemp.com.