In the midst of the global pandemic we are all coming to realise that things will be different in future.

More of us are likely to be working from home in a trend that was on the rise anyway before coronavirus.

Indeed some businesses may decide they don’t need expensive office space in town and city centres and can work more cost effectively.

We may travel less and have more meetings remotely.

Social distancing, in some form or other, could be with us for the foreseeable future.

But of course no-one really knows exactly what the future will look like.

However we can almost certainly say that some things should be part of the new norm.

Businesses will need to think much harder and more imaginatively about diversification, partly out of necessity, partly as an insurance policy when the unexpected happens.

More collaboration too is surely a given?

We have all been in this crisis together so it must make sense to work together much more in future to drive revenues and reduce or share costs.

Our partnership with the Daily Echo/LOCALiQ in the past few weeks to promote our Supporting Local Business is one very good example.

The power of online audience and the use of technology allowing us to meet virtually (Zoom, Skype, Teams) are clearly here to stay and delivers some huge benefits. It’s already beginning to feel like the norm isn’t it?

It must be a priority for government to focus on the vulnerability of supply chains and to encourage the resurgence of British manufacturing and food production, especially as we disengage from the EU.

Addressing these issues could reduce of trade deficit, stimulate the economy, offset some of the economic effects of the coronavirus and give the UK more economic security in the supply of food and other essential products.

This crisis has reminded us that business is not only about products and services. Above all it’s about people. Colleagues, staff, customers, suppliers, partners and how we deal with each other and perhaps more importantly help each other as we rebuild.

I don’t believe there is any going back to where we were. And in some ways that could be a good thing.

Martin Davies

Chairman

Bournemouth Town Centre BID