IMPORTANT NOTICE

At Hounslow Chamber, we value the safety of our members, contacts and employees. Given the evolving status with COVID-19, we are closely monitoring the situation. If you have the following symptoms , or have been in close contact with anyone who has had them, we hope you stay safe:

  • Temperature
  • New persistent cough
  • Shortness of breath
Key points from yesterdays news:-

  • FCO advise against non essential travel anywhere in the world for 30 days
  • Hong kong came out of corona virus in 6 weeks
  • Don’t make decisions now on the basis that this situation will be permanent, it is expected to last max 3 months
  • NHS have postponed non urgent operations by 3 months 
Khalil Arouni, ActionCoach is holding a free webinar to help businesses prepare for business challenges they will face as a result of the COVID-19 matter. This live webinar will run on Thursday:
 
In the budget, the Chancellor announced measures including:
  • SMEs can ask for time to pay tax bills.
  • retail, leisure and hospitality businesses with a rateable value (RV) of less than £51,000 will pay no business rates in 2020/21 if they apply.
  • pubs with a RV of less than £100,000 receive a £5,000 reduction on business rates if they apply.
  • new small business grants are available.
  • a new Coronavirus Business Interruption Scheme may guarantee some business loans up to 80%
  • sick pay can be claimed from Day 1.

Yesterday, the Chancellor announced further measures including:
  • a business support package of £330bn.
  • small businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors (less than RV of £51,000) can apply for interruption insurance cover of up to £25,000.
  • a potential support package for airlines, airports, and others.
  • a 3-month ‘mortgage holiday’ for borrowers, as required.
  • the pre-announced business rates exemption is matched by government backed loans with interest free periods.
  • all retail, hospitality and leisure operators will not pay business rates for the year 2020/21.

small hospitality, retail and leisure operators may be eligible for cash grants of up to £25,000.
Hounslow Chamber of Commerce is the primary support, networking, and representation organisation in west London for SMEs.

We support the interests, the commercial aspirations and the investment for some 18,000 firms - from Chiswick to Feltham, Heathrow to Osterley and Brentford to Bedfont - the Chamber is the voice for all businesses located in the borough.