Lockyer businesses to gain major boost after economic blow

After COVID-19 damaged the local business economy, the Lockyer council has invested in boosting local trading. Here’s what the plan includes:

generic coffee / cafe pic. Photo: iStock.

LOCAL business is in need of more support than ever dealing with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Lockyer Valley Regional Council has come to the table to help support the local hospitality industry, working with a number of businesses in the region.

The Regional Skills Investment Strategy project was designed to identify skills gaps within the industry and provide recommendations to further support businesses.

Lockyer Valley Regional Council Mayor Tanya Milligan said the hospitality industry had shouldered a considerable weight since the pandemic began.

Cr Milligan said lockdowns have resulted in a number of challenges for managers and workers in the hospitality sector.

"We want to do our bit to make recovery for the hospitality industry an easier process," Cr Milligan said.

The council has engaged a hospitality consultant to work with local businesses to assist with their recovery out of the pandemic.

In addition, the industry is currently facing huge changes in how they have to operate to comply with government regulations associated with COVID safe trading.

Stage one of the project included the RSIS consultant complete one-on-one business outreach meetings with three hospitality businesses in the Lockyer Valley.

The businesses involved also took on business development and coaching opportunities and took recommendations ranging from simple menu changes to focusing on reducing waste.

Cr Milligan said council has received positive feedback and "businesses have already implemented improvements".

The Gatton Star will feature a story next week on one of the businesses that has engaged with the council and how it has improved trade for them.

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