Highland business support organisation is kept busy helping firms adapt to the 'new normal'
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Business Gateway, which offers free support and advice to new and established businesses, has seen continued demand for its services over the summer months.
“We have had a surge in enquiries for support and training, especially digital help,” said Danny Gallagher, Business Gateway manager for Highland and Moray.
“Last month we had almost 300 enquiries. It’s the busiest we have ever been. We’ve never experienced anything like this before.”
From March to May, around 70 per cent of inquiries fielded by the team of just five, were related to the coronavirus crisis and its economic impact, including questions about financial support, furlough and concerns about returning to work.
Several requests for support have come from new businesses with 32 start-ups and 22 businesses which are preparing to start.
Although the number of start-up businesses fell sharply at the beginning of lockdown, with just four new business queries in April, these rose again sharply, with July figures 20 per cent up on 2019 figures.
A similar increase has been noted elsewhere in the UK, with Wales seeing a near 17 per cent rise in the number of new businesses being registered in July.
“It looks like, as we come out of lockdown, people are starting up their own businesses,” Mr Gallagher said. “What we don’t know is if these are people who have been made redundant or who have been sitting at home thinking that if they could work from home, they could work for themselves. Lockdown might also have given them time to think and plan what they want to do.”
The new businesses cover a wide range of sectors, from beauticians to furniture removal firms, dog trainers, cleaners, pest controllers and wedding event planners.
“I suppose that’s what makes the Highland economy unique,” Mr Gallagher added. “The majority of businesses in the region employ less than 10 people.”
Mr Gallagher believes this could be an advantage as the country faces the challenge of an economy in recession.
“Because a lot of these businesses are micro businesses, they are flexible and can manage things better. There’s a can-do attitude,” he said.
Business Gateway has also adapted to the new working conditions.
All its workshops, which have expanded to include ones addressing mental health concerns, are now delivered online in a webinar format with one-to-one support provided through Zoom, Skype and other platforms.
There have also been advantages in reduced costs, such as hire of venues and the provision of refreshments, with experts delivering the workshops no longer have to travel.
There have also been advantages for participants.
“For start ups, they can still participate without having to take two days out of work to go to a seminar,” Mr Gallagher added.
“In future I think we will go back to providing workshops in local areas, but we will do them in a much more blended way.”
Click here for more business news
