SME Social and Digital Support

Thurrock Council has been awarded funding from Government under the Welcome Back Fund (WBF) to deliver projects within key location around the borough, with a view to improving business resilience to COVID-19, strengthening the local economy, improving the aesthetic of our towns and instilling confidence in local people that it is safe to visit and shop here.

To re-energise our centres we will be organising local high street events, community created local artwork, improved street furniture to make the areas more welcoming and we will be running a major advertising and social media campaign from November 2021- March 2022 encouraging 'Thurrock to shop local'.

An important element of this work is to help support independent businesses who are operating in our local high streets, many of whom have struggled to manage during COVID.

We are looking to appoint an organisation that has expertise in this area and can support the objectives outlined below.

This programme is looking to increase footfall and sales by providing local independent businesses them with a funded website/social media support package.

We anticipate that this will offer the development or enhancement of their current online presence, marketing and social media.

The council have undertaken a high -level assessment of the independent retailers present on the selected Thurrock high streets.

This work identifies the business, the nature of the product sold, and the level at which they are currently using online or social media.

This suggests that around 90 businesses are currently trading, of which 21% currently have an online sales platform - 20% have no online presence and the balance have Facebook and/or website information.

This research work is being supplemented by the development of a local database of all independent high street businesses and a needs analysis, which will be issued by Thurrock Council in a separate procurement.

This database and needs analysis findings will support the successful contract applicant. (NOTE the businesses selected for support must meet the ERDF SME criteria).

The Welcome Back Fund is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).