11/2020

Inntel included in London Stock Exchange Group’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ 2020 report

Inntel has been identified as one of London Stock Exchange Group’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ 2020. The report recognises dynamic small and medium size companies that have demonstrated innovative methods to outperform their sector peers. Further details on the 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain report and methodology can be found online at www.1000companies.com

Douglas O’Neill, CEO, Inntel:

“To be included in the ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ is wonderful recognition for all the hard work delivered by the Inntel team, especially during these challenging times. At Inntel, we continuously evolve and adapt to the changing market place, which has put us in a very strong position to weather the current storm. I am immensely proud of this achievement by the team and look forward to working with them to Inspire Britain in the future.”

David Schwimmer, CEO, London Stock Exchange Group:

“This report highlights the vital role of SMEs in driving economic growth, leading innovation and providing jobs across the UK. In this challenging year for businesses, it is more important than ever to shine a light on these stories of resilience and entrepreneurship. The success of UK SMEs is crucial as we rebuild a post COVID-19 economy, and London Stock Exchange Group is committed to helping growth companies achieve their potential.”

The Rt Hon John Glen MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury:

“SMEs are the engine room of our economy. They have risen to the immense challenges of this year with resilience and ingenuity, and we are proud to support them with one of the most generous and comprehensive packages for businesses anywhere in the world. It is more important than ever that we champion the companies in this year’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain report and many others like them – they are creating jobs, spurring on our economic recovery, and building the industries of the future.”  

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HBAA is writing to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ask him to create a ‘Re-Skill and Re-Equip’ fund to help many viable businesses across various industry sectors to Re-Skill their staff and Re-Equip their companies to enable them to adapt and stay in business.

Juliet Price, Consultant Executive Director of HBAA which represents more than 300 UK member organisations including over 100 agency and 225 venue members who work collaboratively in the business events, accommodation, meetings and events sector, says: “HBAA is committed to supporting our members in diversifying their businesses to survive the pandemic and have greater viability in the long term. Companies involved in delivering meetings and events, the venues themselves and professional freelancers are unable to arrange, host or work on live events. They are having to adapt to stay in business by creating virtual and hybrid events which for many, involves acquiring a completely new skill set and knowledge base.

“Despite having almost no income from their usual activities purely due to restrictions imposed by the government to control coronavirus, businesses are having to find money to invest in training and equipment to be able to help clients to run professionally presented virtual and hybrid events, just like the recent Conservative and other political party conferences.

“This is not about retraining people for different industries such as cybersecurity. This is to invest in re-skilling staff so that they can be retained in their existing industries to meet growing demand for new ways of working, interacting and engaging, as well as a more secure future.

“It applies not only to the whole of the £84bn events industry which is united as #OneIndustryOneVoice, but also to many other sectors including the theatre and music industries where production staff and venues have also been retraining and re-equipped to run virtual concerts and shows.

“The CBI recently stated that nine in ten workers will need to learn new skills or be retrained over the next decade because the changing nature of the economy is transforming the skills required for many jobs.  That is already apparent in the events industry so let us receive the funding now to keep our experienced people and support them in becoming futurefit.”

HBAA is one of 24 organisations involved in the Business Visits and Events Partnership (BVEP). Caroline Jackson, BVEP Vice Chair, who leads the industry’s Skills, Talent, Diversity & Inclusion working group commented “The decimated events industry needs targeted Government support that includes specialist training and equipment. The multi-skilled and experienced people whose work has been halted because of the pandemic restrictions recognise the primacy to protect people’s health. 

“With little or no income, training and equipment to move online and prepare for a return to live and hybrid event recovery would be productive and motivating. 

“Current government schemes are geared towards large employers and those at the outset of their careers. Venues, agencies and freelancers need funding to develop the ‘re-skilling’ opportunities the government talks about. We need action now, please.”

Mental Health First Aiders

Juliet Price also said that the Re-Skill and Re-Equip Fund should additionally support every industry by training more people in the workplace to be Mental Health First Aiders to meet an immediate need.

“Almost one in five adults (19.2%) were likely to be experiencing some form of depression during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in June 2020; this had almost doubled from around 1 in 10 (9.7%) before the pandemic (July 2019 to March 2020), according to the Office for National Statistics in August.

“Now, following six months of lockdown and restricted living, concerns over job security and the viability of businesses, financial worries and the overarching welfare of family and loved ones have all added to the pandemic’s significant detrimental impact on the mental health of many thousands of people.

“The need is so much greater now. MHFA England recommends that every organisation should be equipped with at least one trained mental health first aider for every 10 employees. The Re-Skill and Re-Equip Fund could support training to ensure that many more people are trained mental health first aiders, able to assist their colleagues in need.”

#hbaafuturefit

www.hbaa.org.uk

Bristol hoteliers say furlough isn’t enough for second lockdown

Hoteliers in Bristol say the Government should do more to support them during the forthcoming second lockdown to help cover their essential running costs.

The Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) says the extension of the furlough scheme – and the return to the Government paying 80 percent of wages – is very welcome.

But many businesses will still find the new lockdown – due to last until December 4 at least – very challenging because of ongoing costs that they have.

BHA Chair Raphael Herzog said: “Bristol hotels ran at around 50 percent occupancy in October, which was encouraging.

“But now we are being forced to close our hotels again and were comforted a little by the news about the furlough scheme, but this is the very least that the Government can do.

“We still have to retain staff to keep our buildings secure, to answer the phones and deal with enquiries, maintain the grounds and ensure that the hotels are regularly cleaned.

“We will have no revenue coming in, yet we have to pay for the staff and that’s not even thinking about all the other regular outgoings, like maintenance and building contracts, electricity, pumps for the pool and so on. The £3,000 a month grant is simply not enough to cover our costs.

“For businesses that are being forced to close, we feel that the Government should provide more funding to help with these essential costs in addition to paying 80% of the payroll, and businesses can top up the remaining 20% for.

“As things stand, this new lockdown is due to run until December 4 but there are already some reports suggesting it could be extended further.

“This uncertainty and lack of clarity makes it very difficult for us to plan ahead, so any further support that we can get from the Government will be a huge help towards giving our businesses a better chance of surviving.”

He added that the hospitality sector’s case for further support is strengthened even further because the industry is being targeted despite evidence suggesting that it is responsible for only a small percentage of traceable infections outside the home.

He said: “Public Health England statistics for week 44 showed that food outlets and restaurants accounted for just two percent of traceable infections.

“Schools and universities account for 22 percent – nearly a quarter – of traceable infections, yet we are being instructed to close and they are allowed to remain open.”

He added: “I expect around a dozen hotels will try to stay open to support people who need to travel for work.”

He urged people to follow the Government guidelines, no matter how inconvenient or difficult it might be, so that the lockdown restrictions can be eased as soon as possible.

He also referred to reports of around 700 people attending a rave last weekend just outside Bristol.

He said: “If people just acted sensibly and followed the ruled, like we do in our hotels, I am sure that the situation would not be as difficult as it is now.

“Sadly, some people – like those who attended the rave last weekend – just want to have fun but they don’t think about the devastating impact their irresponsible actions are having on the livelihood and lives of so many others.”