New digital high street adviser for businesses in Rushcliffe

A new digital high street adviser will be visiting businesses from this week to help them develop their digital offer and give business advice that will complement in-person sales.

Rushcliffe Borough Council have contracted East Midlands Chamber’s Steve Phillips as one of their experienced business advisers to deliver the project in the Borough, courtesy of UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF).

They are one of the first authorities in Nottinghamshire to use this new funding from central government to respond to the pressures high street businesses are currently facing.

Steve will be chatting with and listening to business owners about how he can help develop their websites, online marketing and use social media to aid sales and assist further footfall, as well as opportunities to refer them for fully funded specialist business advice.

The project will include support through a set of short how to films, guides and webinars that will provide advice on a range of topics and examples of good practice.

Businesses wishing to chat to Steve directly can complete a form over the phone 0330 053 8639 or by emailing steve.phillips@emc-dnl.co.uk.

Steve said: “At East Midlands Chamber we offer business advice on a wide range of topics and we’re pleased to now extend this offer to Rushcliffe businesses, with a particular focus on how businesses can maximise their online presence, that can raise revenue across their operating models.

“I will be able to refer businesses to our specialist colleagues, tailoring owners’ needs to particular support and advice they need in their sector and working closely with EMC and RBC colleagues on further ways businesses can seek grant support or increasing their networks.

The digital high street adviser project has received £25,000 from the UK Government through the UKSPF and runs until June.

Initial contact and adviser visits from Steve will be made to all participating businesses by the end of March.

The council’s deputy leader and portfolio holder for business and growth, Andy Edyvean said: “The last three years have been especially challenging for high street businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic, experiencing supply issues, rising fuel costs, a shift to online shopping and a challenging and unpredictable economy.

“We’re therefore one of the first to act in the region by taking advantage and utilising this UKSPF funding and applying it to local businesses’ advantage with this support and using Steve’s and the Chamber’s expert insight.

“It builds on our support for local businesses in recent times, distributing covid grants quickly and effectively, webinars during the lockdown periods and high street digital recovery grants to assist with digital trading, payment and marketing initiatives.

“All the projects aimed to meet some of the needs identified by local businesses to help them trade more effectively and market themselves to a wider audience and attract customers back to the high street and this latest project will further enhance this work.”

For more information email econdev@rushcliffe.gov.uk