A single source of information and guidance tailored specifically to Bristol city centre firms has been set up by the area’s Business Improvement District (BID).
The Covid-19 hub includes a live webinar series covering everything from retail, rent and landlord issues, insurance, risk management and business interruption relating to the coronavirus pandemic, through to broader advice on wellbeing and business relationships during lockdown. 
This week dozens of organisations connected for sessions on the government’s Job Retention scheme, which opened on Monday, and advice on sleep during periods of stress and uncertainty, from GP and mental health expert Dr Dominique Thompson.
A new session on Adapting to a new normal: Leaving lockdown & other common COVID-19 concerns has just been announced for next Thursday, April 30, at 11am, along with an update on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme on Tuesday, April 28. also at 11am.
Designed to help Bristol businesses cut through the deluge of information and collate up-to-date, practical advice and guidance, the Covid-19 hub pulls together details on new grants, loans and business support packages, business rates and the expanded retail discount, and applying for an extension in filing company accounts.
This is an addition to specific, local information and access to a live dashboard of reported cases of coronavirus in Bristol.
Via the ‘Stay Connected’ area of the hub, Facebook Groups for specific Bristol city centre areas have also been set up in order to help business and organisations to collaborate and communicate collectively. 
With the situation and advice changing rapidly, the Covid-19 hub is constantly updated and carefully collated from official sources in order to save businesses and organisations valuable time and resources searching for reliable, up to date information.
Bristol City Centre BID operations director Keith Rundle, pictured, said: “It’s impossible to overstate the impact this crisis is having on significant elements of Bristol city centre’s business community.
“The organisations we represent are contending with unexpected challenges and, for many, disastrous consequences. Having up to date advice and support – which, like everything, is changing rapidly can be critical for survival and the effective use of business owners’ time. Staying connected to the business community and each other is also proving to be really important, so we’re delighted to see strong take up of our free webinar series, which we are growing all time, with new sessions set up and announced each week.”
All sessions are free but spaces are limited, so people are urged to register on the BID’s Covid-19 hub. Each webinar is recorded and free to view.
For more information visit https://bristolcitycentrebid.co.uk/corona-virus-covid-19/
