There are only a few days left to nominate an Exmouth business for the Virtual Business Awards

With more businesses across all sectors now being able to open their doors to the public a mood of qualified optimism is beginning to pervade what has and still is an enormously challenging time for all businesses as they navigate the realities of zero cashflow with many fixed costs still needing to be paid.

Undoubtedly the government has really stepped up to the plate and very early on took some significant and helpful actions to keep the economy in as good a shape as possible, writes Ian Macqueen,Chairman, Exmouth Chamber Of Commerce.

Notwithstanding this, there is only so much any government can do and casualties have sadly happened and will continue to happen over the coming months.

Nonetheless, the high street is beginning to bounce back even with the very necessary social distancing still being in place!

It has been very heartening to see the way so many Exmouth businesses have come together to serve the public in the best way possible.

Early on the Chamber of Commerce acted as a signposting facility with the establishment of Love Local which lists a database of some 60 local businesses there to help everybody in any way they can.

It is great to see the resilience of these local businesses and it is hoped that this will be remembered and appreciated with more customers shopping locally.

Some five Chamber of Commerce Business Forums have taken place over the past months whereby a panel of experts including our local MP Simon Jupp have come together via video link to answer any queries that businesses might have, particularly around government aid and employment issues.

We are very grateful to all our panel for giving their time and expertise in this way.

Exmouth Chamber/Exmouth Journal Virtual Business Awards 2020

With the necessary cancellation of the annual Business Awards at Ocean, we have in conjunction with our media partner the Exmouth Journal, established a Virtual Business Awards Ceremony which will take place via Zoom on Friday, July 17.

There are six categories to choose from, each one recognising the work some business owners have done to adapt to Covid-19.

Details have been appearing regularly in the Journal and are shown in detail together with Nomination Applications on the Chamber website at www.exmouthchamber.co.uk

So far, we have had an enormous response with 516 nominations received from the public/local businesses and there is still one week left to vote (entries close on Friday, June 26).

We do need more ‘Local Hero’ votes and since the awards are designed to celebrate all manner of positive achievements throughout this crisis, we thought it important to include ‘Local Heroes’ to highlight the efforts of local citizens too and not just business.

And so... if you know somebody out there who has really shone and gone the distance in this crisis please go to our Chamber website and nominate this week!

Nominations close of Friday, June 26.

Meanwhile, stay safe and look forward!