RETAIL, tourism and hospitality businesses in Selby district are being offered support to help them plan for reopening.

Selby District Council is holding free online workshops in February to show businesses understand how they can adapt and use marketing tools for recovery.

Working with experts, the sessions will address issues such as how to plan for reopening, how to build customer confidence, and how to bounce back quicker and stronger with practical tourism marketing.

Cllr David Buckle said: “We’re really pleased to be able to support retail, tourism and hospitality businesses by providing these online opportunities. Not only do the sessions deliver practical advice and help with planning ahead for reopening, it’s also an opportunity for businesses within the district to come together, to share experiences and collectively work towards a positive future.”

The events must be booked in advance, via Eventbrite. For details visit: www.selby.gov.uk/free-business-support-workshops-february

Retail businesses are invited to a one-hour session, delivered by Ian Sadler, of Insight6, on February 10, to explore how they can get ready for reopening and welcoming people back.

Free hospitality workshops, on February 10 and 17, will explore how Covid has changed the way customers think and look at ways to engage with customers and build customer confidence.

The sessions, delivered by Paula Kaye from the Boost Consultancy, will also work through creating a plan for reopening, seeing it as an opportunity to review and reset.

Businesses working in the visitor economy are welcome to join the positive and practical workshops with tourism marketing specialist Susan Briggs, on February 17 and 23.

The sessions will look at the marketing tourism businesses can do right now to be ready post-Covid and talk about what marketing is needed to make business more profitable and feel less overwhelmed.

There will also be an opportunity to ask marketing questions, such as how to get more followers on social media or how to drive more traffic to your website.

The retail and hospitality sessions are funded by the Reopening High Streets Safely Fund.