In the last 12 months the Covid-19 pandemic has swept the globe, causing devastation to lives and economies.
The virus caused the 海角视频 economy to shrink 11 per cent this year - the largest drop in 300 years - according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).
On November 25, the OBR said the Government had so far spent £280billion on public services, households and businesses, pushing the deficit to £394billion.
But how did we get here? We take a look at the last 12 months - and how the West of England was impacted.
January
Before the first confirmed cases of Covid at the end of the month, 2020 looked set to be a strong year for the South West.
Then-chancellor Sajid Javid said farmers could enter the new year with “confidence” and would be able to "thrive" after Brexit as he confirmed just under £3billion of funding for 2020.
Lloyds Banking Group announced plans to lend £1.5billion to the region’s firms in a bid to help start-ups and scale-ups across the West Country to grow. It was part of an £18billion national stimulus package for 2020.
Aerospace giant Airbus, which has a site at Filton, in South Gloucestershire, signed off an £8billion deal in January with US-based Spirit Airlines for 100 A320neo Family aircraft.
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The same month, the company’s chief executive, Guillaume Faury, spoke positively about the future of the aerospace firm in Britain, saying he hoped to “improve and expand” operations in the 海角视频 in 2020.
Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce opened a facility in Bristol to develop jet engine technologies, creating 150 jobs, and Bristol Airport became the first airport in Europe to offset all passenger journeys to and from the airport by road.
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Bristol was also named one of the top destinations in the world for venture capital (VC) investment - ahead of Dublin, Copenhagen, Helsinki and Milan - and office rents in the city hit a record high as demand for space continued to grow.
Despite January being a quiet month for movement in employment, Plymouth's labour market was also doing well, new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed.
Openreach also confirmed it was planning to make ultrafast broadband available in 27 market towns and villages across Cornwall, Devon, Torbay, Dorset and Somerset. The move was part of a target by the company to reach four million homes and businesses with ‘full fibre’ technology by the end of March 2021.
And CBI Director General Dame Carolyn Fairbairn said 2020 should mark a “decade of delivery” for the South West, calling for a cabinet minister to champion the region in government.
February
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On February 6, the third 海角视频 national tested positive for coronavirus after contracting the illness at a conference in Singapore; by February 10, the number of cases within Britain had reached eight. That same day the government introduced new powers to forcibly quarantine people, declaring the outbreak a “serious and imminent threat” to public health.
Meanwhile in the South West, an EY report said Bristol was set to become one of the 海角视频’s fastest-growing cities outside London over the next four years.
Bristol also launched the 海角视频's first employment scheme to help mums get back to work, HMRC opened huge new regional headquarters in the city for 1,600 staff, and bosses at Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol unveiled revised plans for a new sports and conference venue.
There were also a number of appointments in February. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) appointed Lee Nathan, 35, as chair for the South West. He became the youngest FSB regional chair in the country.
The chief executive of defence giant Babcock International Group Plc also retired after three years in charge, while the boss of pub chain Admiral Taverns, Kevin Georgel, left the company to take over as new chief executive of St Austell Brewery pub and beer empire. The chief executive of Plymouth Waterfront Partnership, Sarah Gibson, also quit in February to take over at the University of Plymouth's Students’ Union instead.
British Airways announced it was taking on flights from Newquay to Heathrow after Flybe scrapped the route and Cornwall Airport Newquay announced Pete Downes would be joining as its new managing director.
February also saw Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, visiting marine tech company Valeport, in Totnes, as the business marked its 50th anniversary.
海角视频 boat maker Princess Yachts had an “unprecedented” sales success at the world’s biggest indoor boat show after selling £30million of vessels and Essex-headquartered Cruise and Maritime Voyages confirmed plans to start sailings from Plymouth in 2021.
However, controversial plans to expand Bristol Airport were also rejected in February by councillors in North Somerset. The airport was proposing to increase its capacity from 10 million to 12 million passengers a year and make a number of changes to the site including adding a huge car park.
Mr Javid also put his backing behind the South West and vowed to spread opportunities to enable the region to flourish at the South West Conservative Conference.
March
Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled his first Budget of the new majority Conservative government in March including a raft of measures to deal with the coronavirus outbreak. He also announced funding to fix the A303 near Stonehenge.
The same month, budget airline Flybe collapsed into administration and Airbus released a statement as the pandemic saw planes grounded and deliveries and orders deferred.
Energy giant EDF "deep cleaned" its office in Bristol after an employee reportedly tested positive for coronavirus. Bridgewater House in the city centre, which is home to a number of businesses including Barclays, was cleaned as a precaution - as was EDF's 111-acre site at Hinkley Point C.
Cinema chain Cineworld said the spread of coronavirus would not impact on the release dates of other movie blockbusters despite the new Bond adventure being delayed, and stressed it was still expecting to announce profits of more than US$1billion.
Blue Islands announced it would take over the former Flybe route from Exeter to Manchester, and Brittany Ferries completed the purchase of Channel Islands-based Condor Ferries after the deal was given approval by competition watchdogs.
Devon-based utilities giant Pennon also entered into an agreement to sell Viridor, its recycling and waste business, for £4.2billion.
By March 16, Brittany Ferries confirmed it had suspended more passenger services between the 海角视频 and France and said it would only be providing a “lifeline” service for people who need to get home from Spain.
On March 17, Mr Sunak unveiled an “unprecedented” £330billion guarantee package for businesses as the government battled to support the economy amid the coronavirus crisis.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson finally put Britain into lockdown on March 23 as the battle against coronavirus entered a new phase.
By the end of the month, Cornwall's airport had been forced to shut and suspend its flights, Airbus had sent more than 5,000 海角视频 workers home for an early Easter break, while the 海角视频’s largest luxury yacht maker, Princess Yachts, had ceased operations and sent the vast majority of its 3,000 workers home for “the foreseeable future”.
The workforce constructing the new Hinkley nuclear power station was also reduced by more than half to around 2,000 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
April
By April, the world was in the grip of the pandemic, with businesses across the 海角视频 implementing measures to try to stay afloat.
The 海角视频 Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme went live in April, giving workers 80% of their usual earnings, capped at £2,500 per month.
Rolls-Royce announced it was reducing the salary of its global workforce by at least 10% and 海角视频 land and property giant Henry Boot confirmed it was furloughing some of its staff after a "reduction in activity". Debenhams also entered administration for the second time in 12 months.
Defence and engineering giant Babcock International Group stressed it would continue carrying out vital defence work at its dockyard sites in England and Scotland despite the coronavirus lockdown. In Plymouth, it sent some of its 5,500-strong workforce home but said employees engaged in defence work were still in action at Devonport Dockyard.
Princess Yachts said the chancellor's new loan scheme for mid-sized businesses had secured its future and protected nearly 18,000 workers around the country.
Bosses at British Land Company Plc took a 20% pay cut and gave the cash to charity and the directors of Bristol-founded cafe-bar chain Loungers took a 50% cut in pay.
The inaugural West Country Boat Show was pushed back to June 2021 because of the pandemic, while Bristol's Ashton Gate Stadium offered space previously used for events to a surplus food redistribution charity.
The month also saw Plymouth Theatre Royal begging culture vultures to bail it out and the boss of Airbus warn the company was "bleeding cash" due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A task force was launched in the Bristol and Bath region to help kick-start the economic recovery locally, led by regional metro mayor Tim Bowles and involving the West of England Combined Authority (Weca).
In more positive news, Great Western Railway (GWR) named one of its trains after veteran fundraiser Captain Sir Tom Moore to mark his 100th birthday on April 30.
May
The lockdown continued to bite South West firms with Rolls Royce the latest big name firm to consider job cuts, with an . In Filton, Airbus confirmed plans to while the aerospace industry continued on a downturn.
And SME manufacturers in the South West made an urgent call for greater financial support from the government as they confronted plummeting sales, profits and production volumes, according to the .
Universal claimant numbers topped .
But the pandemic brought opportunities too. found new custom from petrol stations across the USA for his nozzle-mounted hand protection and Paignton-based horticultural suppliers Suttons saw record sales as everyone .
June
Good news returns to the High Street with the lockdown eased and shops allowed to re-open but figures reveal that more than .
But the lockdown has taken its toll, with Torquay's coastal zoo Living Coasts and Pymouth's Marine Aquarium remaining closed because unlike zoos and other non-essential retail, the attraction is still closed by Covid restrictions. It had to spend up to £10,000 a day to keep the attraction, and its 5,000 sea creatures, in tip-top shape and .
Travel continued to open up with airline KLM resuming flights from Bristol and Brittany Ferries .
Good news for the creative industries came in the shape of a major initiative to develop screen-based media in the West of England. The being led by the University of Bristol aims to support 700 jobs in the creation of new research and development (R&D) facilities and partnerships between regional and national organisations, and global tech giants including Netflix, Google, and Microsoft.
The idea to pioneer new digital formats and technologies across fiction, documentary, games, and live performance is expected to start later this year and is predicted to generate more than 700 new jobs.
July
Pubs are allowed to re-open but a reminder of the toughest times are at the forefront for landlords as they pour away thousands of wasted pints of beer.
South West Water said it had received requests from 1,100 pubs and breweries across Cornwall, Devon and small parts of Dorset and Somerset to allow them to pour beer down the drain before replenishing stocks.
Meanwhile, home drinkers saved the fortunes of Cornish gin distillery Tarquin's Gin when it lost lost half its business during the pandemic.
Tarquin’s Cornish Gin, named as one of Britain’s fastest growing before the coronavirus pandemic struck, received a huge boost from online sales. It had no online market before the pandemic but to reassess the business’ model.
Cornwall's 'goldrush' was given a major boost with mining company Cornish Lithium raising nearly £1million to drill for lithium. The funding will allow , in both geothermal waters and in hard rock.
Bristol Airport was set to cut nearly for air travel caused by the pandemic.
It said passenger numbers had plunged from more than 870,000 in May 2019 to just 874 in the same month this year, according to a letter to staff.
Meanwhile, the boss of Exeter Airport urged the and thousands of workers as airports are forecast to lose £4billion.
August
The Government's Eat Out to Help Out scheme was launched and more than to take part in the first five days.
In Plymouth, engineering giant Babcock International Group PLC after the for the first quarter by 11% compared with 2019.
The Theatre Royal Plymouth joined theatres from across the 海角视频 in calling on the Government for financial help to prevent “catastrophic” job losses across the events industry.
In Bristol, work on a new-build industrial warehouse at Royal Portbury Dock finished two weeks ahead of schedule .
And hopes are high for a revival of to Infrastrata, the asset management company which owns the famous Harland & Wolff Shipyard in Northern Ireland in a £7million deal – promising a huge economic boost for the region and 350 jobs.
September
It was announced that almost 170 staff were to lose their jobs at Cornwall's Eden Project, after the environmental and educational charity, based just outside St Austell, was forced to close its doors to fee-paying visitors for more than three months which devastated its finances.
A multi-million pound steel handling facility built during lockdown was opened at Royal Portbury Dock in Bristol. Work on the 74,600sq ft warehouse facility, designed to handle steel coils, began in March and it is set to serve the steel market in the Midlands and South Wales.
Cornwall’s Sharp’s Brewery toasted success in the World Beer Awards 2020 with one of its brews named the best on the planet. The brewery, based in Rock, received the highest accolade of World’s Best Pale Bitter in its ABV range for Sea Fury. It was one of six medals the brewer of the 海角视频’s number 1 cask ale, Doom Bar, was awarded in the highly regarded international contest.
The “game changing” £1million robotic Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) was christened in Plymouth exactly 400 years to the day that the Mayflower sailed for America. The 15m long, aluminium-hulled trimaran, bristling with the latest sensors and AI (artificial intelligence) will set off on a trailblazing voyage from Plymouth to Cape Cod in the USA in the spring of 2021. The vessel will have no-one on board, being piloted remotely from the 海角视频 and USA and collecting vital data about climate change, plastic waste pollution and marine mammals.
Utility giant South West Water announced it would hand out £20million to customers who could choose whether to take the bounty as a £20 discount from their bill or shares in the company. The Exeter-headquartered shared the cash after beating its targets. It was part of a unique scheme called WaterShare+, a feature of SWW’s 2020-25 New Deal business plan.
JD Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin called the Government’s curfew on the pub and restaurant trade “nuts” and likely to encourage people to socialise more in their homes and risk spreading coronavirus further. The Exeter-based pub chain chairman, who had just announced 450 job losses at his airport outlets, called the 10pm closure order “utterly stupid”.
It was announced that a new aircraft maintenance company was being set up in Exeter, recruiting 100 mechanics and engineers with plans to more than double that number. Exeter Aerospace was established by Dublin Aerospace Group, the Irish aviation maintenance company, and will operate from the former Flybe Maintenance Services at Exeter Airport. The airline Flybe collapsed in March 2020 with the loss of 2,000 jobs.
October
Exeter Airport was given a £1million bailout from East Devon District Council to stave off a “worst case scenario” of closure. A combination of the collapse of the Flybe airline and the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions hit the airport, with passenger numbers down 90% year-on-year.
Vacuum cleaner maker Dyson said it would award its own degrees from September 2021. The Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology, based in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, was founded as an alternative to a traditional degree education in 2017 and currently has 150 engineering undergraduates, who study and work alongside Dyson staff, earning a full salary, but not tied to the company after graduating, and don’t pay tuition fees.
The co-founders of a Bristol company that makes “bionic” arms for amputees were awarded MBEs in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list 2020. Joel Gibbard and Samantha Payne, of Open Bionics, set up their company in 2014. The business uses 3D printing and 3D scanning techniques to make its products and launched its first product - the “hero arm” - in 2018.
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A former Flybe shareholder bought the airline out of administration. Flybe’s business and assets - including the brand, intellectual property, stock and equipment – were snapped up by Thyme Opco Limited, a company affiliated with investment adviser Cyrus Capital, run by Lucien Farrell, which was a shareholder of Flybe, along with Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic, before its collapse. Operations could start in 2021.
Utilities giant Pennon was named the biggest company in Devon and Cornwall in the Annual Business Guide: Top 150 businesses in Devon and Cornwall, published by BusinessLive and sister print title Western Morning News. The Exeter-based firm, which owns South West Water and Bournemouth Water, boasted a turnover of almost £1.4billion and more than 5,000 employees.
Aircraft manufacturer Airbus revealed that for the nine months to September 30, revenues at the company fell to €30.2billion (£27.2billion) - down from €46.2billion for the same period in 2019. The aerospace giant, with a major presence in Bristol, lost €2.68billion over the first nine months of the year, while for the same period in 2019 it made a €2.18billion profit.
November
Home drinkers boosted sales for Somerset craft cider producer Harry’s Cider Company. The business lost about 70% of its trade sales overnight when the first lockdown forced the closure of pubs, bars and restaurants, but a boost in consumer sales since the end of March lifted overall figures back to almost 75% of where they were before.
High street businesses were faced with a struggle for survival as a second national lockdown was announced to run from November 5 to December 2. The chief executive of Plymouth City Centre Company, Steve Hughes, stressed that footfall in town and city centres would be hugely reduced and business could be severely impacted.
About 500 Bristol businesses were visited by council offices in just a week after growing concerns some were flouting lockdown rules. The local authority said it received “continued reports” from worried residents. One events venue was fined £10,000 for “flagrant and repeated” breaches, according to Avon and Somerset Police.
The Government approved the £1.7billion upgrade of the A303 past Stonehenge. The A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down (Stonehenge) scheme includes a two-mile tunnel underneath the World Heritage Site. Designed to tackle congestion on the notorious, traffic-clogged single carriageway section of the A303 route, and the move was seen as a significant step towards unlocking economic growth and improving journey times and reliability between the M3 and M5, thus having huge benefits for business in the South West.
Property giant The British Land Company Plc revealed a half-year after-tax loss of £730million as the coronavirus pandemic cut retail sales and footfall in its shopping centres. The company, which announced a £1.1billion annual loss in May 2020, has now seen underlying profit fall by 29.6% to £107million after being hit by the impact Covid-19 and two national lockdowns. Its huge retail portfolio includes Drake Circus Shopping Centre and neighbouring The Barcode leisure complex in Plymouth, in addition to a large swathe of the city centre.
Defence giant Babcock International Plc saw profits fall by more than £100million blaming the coronavirus pandemic and the decline of civil aviation. The engineering titan, which operates the huge dockyard at Devonport in Plymouth, experienced a 9% dip in underlying revenue and a 43% drop in underlying profit for the six months to the end of September 2020. The company revealed underlying revenue fell from £2.458billion, between April and September 2019, to £2.244billion in the same months this year. Underlying operating profit plummeted from £250.6million to £143.1million over the same half-year period.
December
Debenhams stores around the South West began closing down sales after JD Sports pulled out of rescue talks for beleaguered department store chain. The firm was the last remaining bidder for Debenhams, which has been in administration since April. Debenhams confirmed it will move ahead with plans to close 124 海角视频 outlets – including in Plymouth, Torquay, Exeter, Taunton and Bristol - unless a new buyer comes forward.
Plymouth City Council said it was exploring the idea of reopening the city’s airport nearly a decade after it closed. The local authority asked the Government’s newly formed Airfield Development Advisory Fund for help to obtain a clear picture of what level of investment would be needed to reopen the airport for commercial passenger services. It also appointed a specialist aviation consultant to approach potential operators to assess the market appetite for a private sector company to restart flights.
Retail magnate Chris Dawson saw his The Range empire grow sales to nearly £1billion, The Plymouth-headquartered company, officially named Norton Group Holdings Ltd, saw turnover leap 6% for the year to February 2020. That means sales increased from £942.679million to £999.972milion, due to an increased number of stores and fixed costs remaining static.
The Government handed a £2.7million lifeline to more than 40 cinemas across the South West to prevent the curtain coming down for good. Independent picture houses which have been severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic and its economic aftershocks were supported by the Culture Recovery Fund. In the South West a total of £2,725,192 was allocated to 44 cinemas, including the WTW Cinema Ltd chain, Plymouth Arts Cinema, Newton Abbot’s Alexandra, and Totnes Cinema.
Shoe retailer Clarks' shareholders approved a partnership with Asian private equity firm LionRock Capital, which will now acquire a majority stake in the business for £100million. The rescue deal is expected to be completed in early 2021 with the Clark family remaining invested in the business. Clarks was founded in 1825 by brothers Cyrus and James Clark in Street, Somerset.