4 minute read
Hospitality
A year of great change
This time last year, the country was preparing to enter yet another COVID-induced lockdown to combat a deadly second wave of the virus. A COVID vaccine was just around the corner, but had not yet been discovered, and many businesses were closed with no certainty on when they’d be allowed to open again.
Now, however, the picture looks much brighter. Despite rising numbers of cases, COVID vaccines have proved effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths. Lockdowns, hopefully, are a thing of the past, businesses are open once more and people can meet others face-to-face again. That has been a real boost to the events and hospitality industries, which were hit harder than most during the pandemic.
As society starts to reopen again, events that were held online last year are now being hosted inperson. It has been encouraging recently to see the borough of Hounslow start to reawaken and see the bustle and life that characterised its community before the COVID pandemic hit.
Businesses, of course, are a key part of this community – a fact recognised by Hounslow Chamber of Commerce, which holds its annual business awards to celebrate the achievements of local firms that have thrived under pressure and done something unique.
This year, the awards were open to all businesses in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow. In addition, all Hounslow Chamber members were eligible to enter, wherever they’re based.
The award winners are set to be announced at a glittering ceremony held at Clayton Hotel on Chiswick High Road, on Thursday November 25. It’s a chance for Hounslow business leaders – many of whom are making a hugely positive difference to the economy of west London – to get together, share ideas and forge contacts that could lead to business opportunities somewhere down the line. This year’s awards will celebrate and recognise what businesses have achieved over the last 18 months despite the challenges of the pandemic. They will also recognise how companies adapted and innovated to sustain their business during these difficult times. Sally Smith, chief operating officer at the Chamber, says: “Our awards provide a fantastic opportunity for small and large businesses that drive the local economy to shout about their successes and achievements. At our event on November 25, the award winners will be announced for their ‘Oscar’ moment. It will also mark the end of this challenging year and the start of the Christmas festivities. I for one cannot wait!
“Our Chamber is now pleased to be able to offer our services to our neighbouring boroughs: Ealing and Hammersmith & Fulham. From a business point of view, there is so much to celebrate in these areas, which are characterised by the innovation, agility and entrepreneurialism of the companies that do business there.”
According to Sally, the event is a chance to celebrate all things good about businesses in west London – and in person rather than virtually on Zoom or Teams! “It has been so refreshing to meet and greet business leaders in person after so long,” says Sally. “We’ve had to get used to hosting meetings and events online during the pandemic, and while this has been useful in maintaining connections, it’s not as satisfying as shaking someone by the hand and greeting them with a smile.”
Other events – such as music concerts, weddings and informal greets in bars and restaurants – have also been held in recent weeks. They included a Kylie Minogue Tribute show at The Arts Centre in Hounslow, and a recounting of Shakespearian tragedy MacBeth at the same venue – with an unusual twist. Murder, poetry and sword-fighting were combined as the dark tale unfolded using candlelight to ignite the imagination and chill the soul.
Meanwhile, there was a funfilled Halloween “Skele-bration” at The Brentford Project to celebrate the annual spooky season. To mark the occasion, Ballymore hosted an afternoon of “fangtastic” activities for all the family, including mini pumpkin carving, origami spider decorating and Halloween mask painting.
Events such as these have helped to underpin Hounslow’s thriving creative, hospitality and tourism sectors, which rely to a large extent on people meeting each other face-to-face. Now that lockdowns are hopefully a thing of the past, businesses in these sectors will be hoping for a much brighter 2022.
