31 January – Brexit : |
12 March |
20 March |
23 March |
24 March |
1 April - March 2021 |
15 June |
16 June |
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The UK officially exits the European Union |
SWLEP Commissioning Group members agree that Growth Hub should be the go to support portal and service to support SMEs through the pandemic , allowing local Councils to provide relief support and grants |
Government announces Coronavirus Job Retention ( Furlough ) Scheme |
First lockdown begins and remains in place until 14th June 2020 |
Growth Hub Business Support Triage Plus service promoted and available to SMEs |
The Growth Hub ’ s evolution from a purely digital offering to a support delivery service for local business |
England ’ s retail parks , high streets & shopping centres welcome customers , while zoos and safari parks open their doors for the first time since March |
SWLEP awarded £ 2.4million in European Regional Development Funding to create the SME Competitiveness Programme for Swindon and Wiltshire to provide Business Navigator Support for three years to also include specialist start-up and scale-up support from Growth Hub ’ s delivery partner |
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1 July |
4 July |
13 July |
14 July |
24 July |
3 August |
1 September |
11 September |
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Swindon and Wiltshire Growth Hub appoints three new Business Navigators to support with the new SME Competitiveness project |
Pints poured in pubs and couples finally say “ I do ” as lockdown restrictions are eased across England |
Beauty salons , nail bars and tattoo shops welcome customers for the first time in four months |
Department for Business , Energy & Industrial Strategy announces Peer Networks programme |
Ministry of Housing Communities & Local Government announces ERDF grant funding for SMEs |
The Government ’ s Eat Out To Help Out scheme launches , with restaurants , pubs and cafes offering half price meals to diners during August |
The Swindon and Wiltshire Growth Hub ’ s This Way Up programme gets underway |
The R value of Coronavirus transmission across the UK rises above 1 for the first time since early March |
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14 September |
22 September |
24 September |
12 October |
19 October |
31 October |
5 November |
20 November |
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ERDF Grant Window opens to Swindon and Wiltshire SMEs |
Government advises that people work from home if able to do so |
10pm curfew on pubs , bars and restaurants introduced |
Government announces three-tier system of local alert levels for England |
Application window closes for ERDF grants ; over 600 applications received in Swindon and Wiltshire |
Boris Johnson announces that people in England will be told to stay at home for four weeks as the country is placed under another national lockdown , with the closure of hospitality and nonessential shops |
Lockdown 2 begins |
The Growth Hub ’ s This Way Up programme exceeds original targets set |