Skip to content

Thoughts from the Chair - Staying positive in a challenging environment

Thoughts from the Chair - Staying positive in a challenging environment Lord Richard Inglewood, Chair of Cumbria LEP

November is always a month for reflection and never more so than now, as we look back to what has been one of the most challenging periods in living memory. COVID-19 has taken a significant toll, in terms of the health and economic costs, both personally and as a nation. It would be easy to become despondent but at times like this it is really important that we remain positive and forward looking, as despite what it might feel like now, the current challenges will pass. Therefore, we need to look forward to that time and start to plan now to ‘Restart, Reboot and Rethink’ our businesses and our economy.

I do not underestimate the difficulties that our businesses have faced, in what for many has been the most difficult trading year, ever. The support that has been provided to businesses by government has been unprecedented at some £230billion and counting, which has undoubtedly helped stabilise many businesses. However, the message that I receive from business is that they do not want to be reliant on grants and government backed loans, they want to get back to doing what they do best – running their businesses effectively, efficiently and with an eye to the future.

On the first day of our second national lockdown I would therefore encourage everybody to start the process of looking forward. We all learnt a lot in the first lockdown and going in to a second, hopefully much shorter period, it is clear that businesses are far more confident about their ability and expertise to manage their business in a COVID-Secure manner. Our business have and can react rapidly to any changes, as and when they occur.

Unfortunately, some of our businesses have no option other than to close and for those businesses looking forward will be even more important. We have witnessed huge resilience, innovation and creativity from our businesses to date and these qualities will be exactly what will carry us forward into December and through into hopefully a brighter 2021.

Your login details have been used by another user or machine. Login details can only be used once at any one time so you have therefore automatically been logged out. Please contact your sites administrator if you believe this other user or machine has unauthorised access.