A NEW service will offer advice to help businesses keep trading during the coronavirus pandemic.

Business West set up the Trading Through Coronavirus hub to give companies around Swindon and Wiltshire practical guidance on how to keep going during these difficult times.

Firms can submit questions about issues they are struggling with and be directed to financial information and resources like the government's Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

Managing director Phil Smith said: "Less than two weeks ago, few of us could’ve anticipated the damage currently being wrought by the coronavirus to our businesses, communities and the economy.

“It is scarcely believable that otherwise-successful businesses before the pandemic emerged now face an uphill struggle simply to keep the lights on, yet, that is the sad reality which we find ourselves in.

“These are truly unprecedented times for businesses and the economy, and the challenges are grave, but we believe businesses shouldn’t have to face these challenges alone, which is why we’ve launched Trading Through Coronavirus.

“Providing detailed practical advice and guidance on everything from jinterruption loans and small business grants to statutory sick pay and working from home, our main objective with this service is to protect the businesses and livelihoods put at risk by coronavirus in this region.”

During the next few weeks, the service will expand to include interactive webinars with expert lawyers, business advisors and accountants, as well as virtual networking events to connect local businesses, enabling them to share best practices and resources.

The team nehind it is in daily contact with authorities across the south west of England to help them shape their economic response to the pandemic and prioritise areas of core business need.

The detailed economic intelligence gathered through this service will be fed back to Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak,via the British Chambers of Commerce – the body that represents Business West and its members at a national level.

The new service comes from the same team behind the award-winning Trading Through Brexit scheme which has helped thousands of businesses prepare successfully for life after Brexit.

Visit the regularly-updated hub at www.tradingthroughcoronavirus.co.uk