Southport
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The Southport business community are throwing their weight behind the City of Gold Coast’s proposed Southport Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP) with results from a recent Southport Chamber of Commerce member survey showing that 100% of survey respondents support the proposed SEP.

Another whirlwind year is coming to a close, with Christmas and the end of 2021 rapidly approaching. If we thought 2020 was an interesting year with the beginning of the pandemic, 2021 certainly kept up the momentum of absurdity, with new strains of COVID, more lockdowns and ever-changing restrictions.

Applications are now open for Round 6 of the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF), paving the way for new projects that regional communities deserve to be funded and delivered.

Dear Member,

The City of Gold Coast is currently undertaking community consultation for the proposed Southport Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP).

Times have been tough for many Gold Coast business and some industries are recovering faster than others. Adapting to change is key to successfully managing your business.

On the 18 November 2021, the Southport Chamber of Commerce held its annual AGM Chaired by Ian Kennedy. The Board would like to thank all members who attended the AGM in person, and those who sent proxies and apologies.

An excellent night on Thursday 18/11/2021 for the annual AGM of the Southport Chamber of Commerce, followed by our Christmas Celebratory drinks. We had 50 members attend our beautiful sunset evening event at the Southport Yacht Club overlooking the gorgeous yachts moored in the marina.

The Southport Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP) is one step closer, with consultation opening to obtain feedback on a range of planning instruments to bring the program to life.

The Australia Fair Terry White store was the very first store opened by Terry and Rhonda White and is considered their flagship. A million dollar makeover has recently been completed, and the owners Terry and Rhonda held a series of VIP parties to launch transformation of the new look premises.

Pulse Survey results out now

Christmas business confidence missing traditional festive cheer

From 17 December when Queensland is forecast to reach the 80 per cent double vaccinated milestone, hospitality and entertainment venues including festivals will only be permitted to allow entry to patrons and staff who are fully vaccinated. Read the plan here.

This affects non-essential leisure businesses including hospitality venues (hotels, pubs, clubs, taverns, bars, restaurants and cafes) and entertainment venues (nightclubs, live music venues, stadiums, theatres, cinemas and festivals)

“It is incredible to realise that we have been dealing with the consequences of the Covid -19 pandemic for over 18 months now. Uncertainty of rules, lockdowns, and movement restrictions etc have been the cause of the greatest economic impact on all sizes of businesses on the Gold Coast over that time. While I am usually an optimist, every time I think I see light at the end of the tunnel the tunnel seems to keep going on and on.

It was great to see October mark the opening of the Gold Coast Youth Foyer right here in Southport.

International students will be returning to study in Queensland from the beginning of next year. After an announcement from the State Government confirmed plans earlier this week.

You are hereby notified that the 2021 Annual General Meeting of the Southport Chamber of Commerce Inc will be held on Thursday 18 November 2020 at 5:00pm.

Your Chamber continues to engage with all levels of government, fellow Chambers and CCIQ to ensure you are informed and every effort is made to advance the interests of small businesses around Southport. Business sentiment ranges from devastation in some sectors, to hesitancy in others due to the uncertainty of possible lockdowns, to embracing opportunities in what some see as the new normal.

As a City Heart Taskforce member, The Southport Chamber of Commerce was pleased to attend the City Heart Task Force Reimagine 2.0 Breakfast and Forum with the Honourable Ms Angie Bell MP and many other city leaders.

Queensland businesses on New South Wales border to benefit from multi-million-dollar funding injection

AS the oldest and longest standing chamber on the Gold Coast, the Southport Chamber of Commerce has been a voice for local businesses since founded on April 23, 1912, by inaugural president Edward Fass.

This past month has seen the Chamber working behind the scenes with CCIQ and Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce to try to find a solution to the devastating impact on Gold Coast businesses from the hard border closure.

Immerse yourself at Regent Lane this Spring at the City’s first CBD Sundown event on Friday, 24 September 6pm – 9pm. Entry is free.

If your businesses is one of the many that is feeling the impact of no staff, no customers or not being able to trade, then now is the time to start to plan how to mitigate the impacts. The Greater Southern GC Chamber has been lobbying for the QLD Government to recognise the very localised impacts being felt by almost every small business in the border area one way or another, and to get some very targeted support for those businesses.

The City of Gold Coast (CoGC) is investing $3 million into a ‘Play Money Rewards' program to support the city’s tourism, dining, retail, and arts and culture industries. The program will be facilitated by Destination Gold Coast (DGC).

The businesses represented by the Southport Chamber are grateful for the $600 million business and tourism support package announced by the Federal Treasurer which includes support for tourism businesses further to the existing State Government grants package.

Deteriorating business confidence on the Gold Coast is the lowest in the state, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland’s June quarter Pulse Survey shows.

Applications open mid-August for a $5000 grant to SMEs operating within the 11 LGAs affected by the latest lockdown.

A High Court today ruled casual workers are not entitled paid leave benefits in line with permanent employment contracts.

We are in a business events season. An intimate group of our members were privileged to attend a special presentation and tour of Griffith University’s Institute of Glycomics on 27 May 2021 following by networking. Griffith University’s Institute for Glycomics is a flagship biomedical research institute based right here on the Gold Coast

The Council Pop-Up activation on the corner of Nerang and Scarborough streets has been well received by residents and business owners. For this first week of June, Council set up with Police to engage on issues. Our first priority was simply to reclaim that space. Second, to engage with CBD locals on what is important to them. People clearly appreciated the opportunity.

Our personal safety, and the safety of our community, is important to all of us. I have had contact from many locals recently concerned about escalating crime in our local area, and right across the Gold Coast for that matter. We need your help, as the business community of Southport, to convince the Palaszczuk Labor Government to listen to and act on our community’s concerns.