"Snapshot" Business Survey - Spring 2021

The "Snapshot" Business Survey is now closed. The results of the survey can seen here in the Snapshot Business Survey Final Report. Many thanks to all those businesses that took part in the survey.

Businesses in Stratford District were encouraged to explain how the last 12 months has affected them and what would help them recover by filling out a new survey.

The online survey aimed to collate feedback from a wide variety of businesses in the district on how the pandemic has challenged them and what support might be needed in the future and to hear back from businesses who have received grants from the council to see how effective they were in keeping them going during the pandemic.

This information would help improve its support over the next few months.

Cllr Matt Jennings, Portfolio Holder for Tourism and Economic Development at Stratford District Council said: "We want to hear directly from businesses about how the pandemic has affected them so we can paint a picture of how we can help them recover now the government has announced its roadmap out of lockdown.

"We'd like to receive feedback from businesses of all sizes, in a variety of sectors, and from all over the district, so we can get a clear idea of any trends that may have been missed and tailor our support accordingly."

"Now we have a route out of lockdown, we need to ensure businesses in the district are able to recover as quickly as possible in order to grow the local economy once again. To do that, we need to assess where our businesses are at first."

The online survey consisted of 19 questions and was designed to be easy for businesses to complete. Most can be answered by selecting from a list of options instead of having to type out long answers.

Business Survey 2018

As part of its current Corporate Strategy, one of the District Council's key objectives is to support a ‘flourishing local economy'. To help shape and support this, the Council conducts a biennial Business Survey so that it can better understand the state of business in the District and the needs of the business community. This survey was used to obtain the views of business to influence, shape and inform the development and delivery of current and future plans and strategies, especially the Local Industrial and Economic Development Strategy for Stratford-on-Avon District 2018-2023. The way SDC administers National Non Domestic (Business) Rates.

A mailing of questionnaires went out to 3,627 businesses on the Non-Domestic Business Rates address database at the start of June 2018, with a reminder sent in early July to those who had not responded. 868 were completed, including 33 who took up the opportunity to complete the questionnaire online. 96 questionnaires were returned to SDC by the Royal Mail not delivered, i.e. not known at this address, gone away, no longer a business.

The response rate was 24.6%, 3% lower than 2016. This gives a confidence interval of + or – 2.9%, which is within the acceptable level of + or – 3% and gives statistically reliable results. The response rate in 2011 was 31%, in 2013 it was 29% and in 2016, 28%.

The Business Survey Results 2018 can be viewed online.

Contact: The Performance, Consultation & Insight team

Last updated on 28/05/2021