Hounslow Chamber webinars
All are free, run for 60 minutes and start at 10:00 am:

Arts & Culture - 9th July

Britain’s theatres, galleries and music venues have been thrown a £1.57bn lifeline as the government attempts to halt an unemployment crisis. The package will include £880m in grants and £270m in loans, and will cover the 2020-2021 tax year to help venues while their “doors remain closed and curtains remain down”.

Please come along to what promises to be a stimulating discussion.

Panellists:
  • Torin Douglas MBE, director of Chiswick Book Festival and until 2013, the media correspondent for the BBC for, 24 years.
  • Cllr Samia Chaudhary, Lead Cabinet Member for Leisure Services at Hounslow Council
  • Sophie Denney of Richmond Theatre
  • Leslie Feore of Syon Park and Gardens
  • Ginette Kentish of the Musical Museum
  • Liz Power of the London Museum of Water and Steam

Health & Wellbeing - 16th July

Lockdown has now lasted for over 100 days, the retail/hospitality sectors are beginning to open – are you confident to return to a pub? Please register to take part in the discussion.

Skills & Training / Transform & Innovate - 23rd July

Last week 12,000 job losses were announced. Hounslow is going to be particularly hard hit owing to its proximity to Heathrow. Please register to have your voice heard.

If you have missed our webinars, you can watch them now:  https://hounslowchamber.org.uk/10015
The government has unveiled a £1.57bn support package to help protect the futures of UK theatres, galleries, museums and other cultural venues. (courtesy of BBC News)

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told BBC Breakfast new grants and loans aim to preserve "crown jewels" in the UK's art sector as well as local venues.

It follows several weeks of pressure, with industry leaders warning that many venues were on the brink of collapse. Independent cinemas, heritage sites and music venues will also be eligible.

Guidance for a phased return of the performing arts, starting with performances behind closed doors and rehearsals, is expected to be published by the government shortly.

Mr Dowden said the package is all "new money" and has two broad aims - to preserve "crown jewel" venues like the Royal Albert Hall and national galleries, while also helping local institutions across the UK.

He said institutions applying for the new grants and loans through industry bodies would have to prove how they contribute to wider economic growth.
Travel exemptions (courtesy of the Cabinet Office)

On Saturday 4th July the government's travel advice changed, with exemptions for travelling to certain countries and territories that no longer pose a high risk for British travellers. 

The government continues to advise against non-essential international travel, except to countries and territories listed.

You can view the full list of exempted travellers here -  https://bit.ly/HOExemptions  - and exempted destinations here -  https://bit.ly/ExemptedDestinations .

Full guidance for British people travelling overseas during the coronavirus pandemic can be found here:  https://bit.ly/CV19TravelGuidance .
Hairdressers reopening 

Also from Saturday 4th July, Britain’s hairdressers and barber shops were back open for business. The Cabinet Office has shared the following tweet, which explains how hairdressers will keep customers and staff safe. We would appreciate you retweeting on your own channels where possible:  https://bit.ly/SalonsTweet .
 
Guidance for people who provide close contact services (e.g. hairdressers and barbers) can be found here:  https://bit.ly/CV19CloseContactGuidance .
£1.57 billion support package for cultural and heritage organisations

Britain’s globally renowned arts, culture and heritage industries will receive a world-leading £1.57 billion rescue package to help weather the impact of coronavirus, the government announced today.
 
The money, which represents the biggest ever one-off investment in UK culture, will provide a lifeline to vital cultural and heritage organisations across the country hit hard by the pandemic. It will help them stay afloat while their doors are closed. Funding to restart paused projects will also help support employment, including freelancers working in these sectors.
 
Further details of the announcement can be found here:  https://bit.ly/CultureSupportPackage.
HMRC has set out answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the government’s VAT payments deferral measures, including which businesses are eligible and what will happen afterward. The VAT payments deferral measures were rolled out by the government to support businesses with cash flow during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The VAT deferral means that all businesses with a UK VAT registration have the option to defer VAT payments due between 20 March and 30 June 2020. Businesses have until 31 March 2021 to pay any VAT deferred as a result of this announcement. HMRC will not charge any penalties or interest on payments deferred by this announcement.

Businesses can opt into the deferral scheme by simply not making VAT payments due in this period - they do not need to inform HMRC. Businesses that pay by Direct Debit should cancel this with their bank. This can normally be done online and should be done in plenty of time so HMRC does not attempt to automatically collect on receipt of their VAT return. Should they wish, businesses can continue to make payments as normal during the deferral period and can continue to make ad hoc payments after the deferral period to repay any deferred VAT up to 31 March 20201. HMRC will also continue to pay repayment claims as normal.

*One vital thing to note: businesses must continue to submit VAT returns as normal.

Frequently asked questions about the VAT payments deferral measure – click here
Chancellor pays visit as Chiswick riverside pub prepares to reopen
Chiswick Flower Market - First market Sunday 6th September 2020
The market is to take place on the first Sunday of each month, from 9:30am to 3pm on the Old Market Place outside the Police Station. Following guidance on Covid safety the stalls will be laid out in a single line, so they will now run parallel to the High Road up to Devonshire Road so that shoppers can feel safe and comfortable. 
Market Traders
They are signing up with enthusiasm with a mixture of established and new talent, of all types of plants – from house plants, to bedding, exotics, grow your own, cutting flowers, and all things horticultural. They will be joined by local flower traders, along with Chiswick House and Chiswick Horticultural Society.
Good News:
2020 continues to be a challenging year and some may question Business Awards going ahead. After much reflection we feel there are reasons to be optimistic. Please enter the Awards, based on your activity in 2019, using it as a means to celebrate the past, to mark the end of 2020, and to give you and your team a wonderful night out on 15th October 2020, to move into the Christmas season and to start 2021 in an upbeat frame of mind.

The Business Awards are open to ALL businesses in the London Boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Hounslow and ALL our Chamber members, wherever you are based.


There are 19 award categories which you can enter now, just click the link to enter, fill out the form and submit. The deadline date for entries is 22 nd August 2020.
West London Local Chambers & Hounslow Chamber of Commerce are the primary support, networking, and representation organisation in west London for SMEs.

We support the interests, the commercial aspirations and the investment from businesses in Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham - the Chamber is the voice for all businesses located in the borough