A carefully curated package of support designed specifically for hospitality and leisure businesses will be available to SMEs in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire at a webinar later this month.

The online event is being delivered in collaboration with Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce Information Technology Business Enhancement Programme (ITBEP) and as a part of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub’s #GearingforGrowth2022 campaign.

Taking place on Monday, January 31, the webinar is aimed at SMEs in food and beverage, accommodation and leisure, and will offer expert insight and advice on digital systems, marketing, HR and funding.

Rebecca Parker, Growth Hub Team Manager, said: “The webinar offers SMEs access to expert advice, which we’ve put together in a bid to wrap support around our Staffordshire hospitality businesses while they continue to deal with the impacts of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in the current economic climate.

“The event is scheduled to take two hours, during which expert advice will be provided on these four essential topics, with a Q&A session included at the end.

“This informative online session will signpost businesses in the hospitality and leisure sector to support that has been tailored to their needs.”

Destination Staffordshire will also be joining the webinar to provide an introduction and overview of its rebooted programme to support the regrowth of the county’s visitor economy.

From local, regional and national campaigns delivered through ‘Enjoy Staffordshire’, the team have strong links with VisitEngland VisitBritain and the regional tourism bodies.

The team look for opportunities and funding streams that will improve the county visitor offer and support the recovery and growth of the local business sector.

The main aim of Destination Staffordshire is to bring more visitors to the county, encourage more spend and return visits to maximise opportunities for economic growth.

As well as providing detail on topics such as digital transformation, improving digital access for customers, marketing strategy and customer communications, the webinar will also outline workforce guidance in hospitality including Covid-safe measures, hybrid-working and the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme.

And information around eligibility for the Staffordshire to Thrive Grant will be delivered alongside an informed overview of the Government Omicron funding provision distributed through Local Authorities, hospitality supply chain Capex & Revenue Funding schemes, funding for digital implementation, alternative finance and an introduction to the HMRC R&D Tax Relief rebate scheme.

The #GearingforGrowth2022 in Hospitality webinar is from 9.30am on Monday, January 31 and hospitality and leisure businesses can register now at: https://stokestaffsgrowthhub.co.uk/event/gearingforgrowth-in-hospitality/