Don’t forget to subscribe to our new business e-newsletter, Business Matters. It will provide regular guidance and help, as well as success stories as our economy returns and the Council helps to encourage local people to use local services.  If you would like to subscribe to Business Matters, you can do so easily online. 

RBKC News

Do you want to sell your product at the new High Street Kensington Farmer’s Market?

Opening next Sunday 20 September, 10am to 2pm. There’ll be a range of goods on offer including fresh produce on Phillimore Walk, which will be closed to traffic during opening hours. Twitter.  If you are a producer or supplier and are interested in selling your product at the Market apply here.  This link provides information about our rules and requirements.

Human Resources Advice for SMEs in the Covid-19 era. Online on 17th September at 9.30am -11.30am. 

A RBKC Supply Chain Workshop in association with CrosseHR.  RBKC Supply Chain is offering a FREE workshop on Human Resource issues for small and medium size companies in construction or related sectors.  To find out more and to reserve your place please click here.

Can you help to spread the word? PBC are looking to recruit a new Chair to help lead this BEIS approved and national award-winning Enterprise Agency – the Portobello Business Agency. The closing date for applications is 23rd September 2020.  

Government and Partner News

NEW Guidance – Venues required by law to record contact details

Premises and venues across England must have a system in place to record contact details of their customers, visitors and staff in the latest move to break the chains of transmission of coronavirus. Further details can be found here

UPDATED Guidance – Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Updated guidance for the visitor economy on social gatherings of more than 6 people and Test and Trace (section 2.1) and mandatory test and trace requirements (section 2.2.2). Find out here how to make your workplace COVID-secure.

Employer incentives for hiring new apprentices go live

As part of the Government’s Plan for Jobs, employers will receive £2,000 for each new apprentice aged under 25 they hire, and £1,500 for each new apprentice they hire aged 25 and over, up to the 31st January 2021. Any organisation can apply for the payment, no matter the size or the sector. Find out more here.

Copyright in Business.  Hosted by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) Thursday 17 September 2020.  12:00-12:30 PM BST 

Book onto free webinar for business owners and advisers to learn about; Copyright within your business and support available from the IPO

Check out FSB’s latest newsletter

Get to grips with Digital Marketing.  See here, providing advice and inspiration through webinars and articles

New trade arrangements with the EU from 1 January 2021

HMRC have written to businesses about the new trading arrangements when the UK leave the EU single market and customs Union.  You can find a copy of the letter here. An overview of the steps to take is below.

• Make sure you have a GB EORI number

You should already have an Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number. You will need this to complete customs declarations. If you do not yet have one, you can register for free here.

• Decide how you’re going to make customs declarations

Customs agents, freight forwarders and express operators can help you with declarations and ensure you’re providing the necessary information. Find out more here.

• See if your imported goods are eligible for staged controls

Most traders with a good compliance record will be able to defer import declarations on most goods for up to 6 months after 1 January 2021. Apply to use simplified declarations for imports here.

• Decide how you will account for import VAT when you make a customs declaration

From 1 January 2021, businesses will be able to use postponed VAT accounting to account for import VAT on their VAT Return for goods imported from anywhere in the world.

• Check if Import VAT is due at the border

Import VAT will not be due at the border if goods in a consignment do not exceed £135 in value. The only exceptions will be excise goods and gifts.

• Check the Controlled goods list to see if you need to complete declarations from January. If your goods are not on the list you can choose to delay import declarations until July 2021

To check if your imported goods are on the Controlled goods list.

• Check the government’s tariff tables and consider how your trade will be affected

From 1 January 2021, there will be new rates of Customs Duty for imports – called the UK Global Tariff.

• Sign up for the new Trader Support Service, if you move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland or bring goods into Northern Ireland from outside the UK

The free Trader Support Service (TSS) will handle the new processes arising under the Northern Ireland Protocol for you from 1 January 2021. To register your interest for using this service here. Further information about movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland will be available soon. Please note TSS is not available for goods moved between Great Britain and the EU.

Businesses urged to prepare for NHS COVID-19 app

Pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, cinemas and other venues across England and Wales are being urged to download QR codes to prepare for public rollout of new app.  Go here for more information

Create a coronavirus NHS QR code for your venue

Use this service to create a QR code for display in your venue. Get visitors to scan the QR code when they arrive, using the NHS COVID-19 app. This is to help trace and stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

You should create and display a QR code if you are:

• a business, place of worship or community organisation with a physical location that is open to the public
• an event which is taking place in a physical location

If you have more than one venue, you need to create a separate QR code for each location. You can add multiple locations in the service.

Are you a hospitality business?  Do you want to do a video to help with our social distancing measures and promote yourself?

We’re looking to reach out to young people in the borough, specifically those aged between 20- 29.  People in their 20s are currently showing the highest proportion of Coronavirus cases.  To help do this, we’re asking for short videos from local hospitality businesses. 

If you or your staff would be happy to record a video that we can share on our social media channels, please do get in touch with holly.garner@rbkc.gov.uk to discuss the details. We’d really appreciate your support if you would like to get involved. 

Here are our top tips for a great video, and please keep your video to around or under 1 minute and film in landscape if using a phone. 

• Introduce yourself and your business, and say where you are based (in K&C)
• Say thank you to customers in this age group for returning to you over the last few weeks
• Remind them that they can still enjoy going out to eat and socialise and support your favourite local businesses while being safe
• Ask them to continue to follow safety guidelines while in and outside of the venue – remind them that by doing this the businesses they love can remain open safely.
• Remind them that social distancing is still really important and we’re learning how to work around it
• Talk about any measures you’ve put in, and say that we’re all helping out with distancing, wearing masks, washing hands and being aware of the rule of 6

..and perhaps talk about any dining discounts you may have?

Are you a hospitality business still offering dining discounts?

Eat Out to Help Out may have officially ended but many restaurants, pubs and cafes are continuing to offer diners discounts on food. We’re looking to feature these businesses and highlight where visitors and residents can eat locally for a great deal.  If you’d like your business to be featured, let us know at business@rbkc.gov.uk

Government and Partner News

London Growth Hub upcoming webinars

Book your places here.

• Thursday 17 September 2020, 10.00am – 1.30pm.  Innovating Your Business Strategy: Reset and Recover On this intensive webinar, hear expert guidance to assess, adjust and improve your existing strategy to help fast-track growth rates.
• Tuesday 29 September 2020, 09.30am – 4.30pm Website Optimisation for Business Growth.  Boost your online sales and reach more customers during COVID-19.

Office space available

Catholic Children’s Society in the borough have two first floor offices available to rent.  Both units are self-contained with toilets and a kitchen area and consist of a number of various sized small rooms. Unit 9 – 1,492 sq feet – rent IRO £31,000 pa.  Unit 13 – 1,143 sq feet – rent – IRO £24,000 pa.  The above rents are based on office use.  There is no wheelchair access.  If interested please contact Pauline Brady on 020 8969 5305.

Employer incentives for hiring new apprentices go live

As part of the Government’s Plan for Jobs, employers will receive £2,000 for each new apprentice aged under 25 they hire, and £1,500 for each new apprentice they hire aged 25 and over, up to the 31st January 2021. Any organisation can apply for the payment, no matter the size or the sector. Find out more here.

New trade arrangements with the EU from 1 January 2021

HMRC have written to businesses about the new trading arrangements when the UK leave the EU single market and customs Union.  You can find a copy of the letter here. 

Lastly

If you have a Twitter account, why not give our tweets a like or RT to help spread the message? Follow us at @RBKC. You can also follow our Instagram account for photo and video content from the Council.