At the start of 2020, Bristol and the West of England was often described as a diverse, thriving and dynamic city region with a young, growing population and internationally recognised strengths in innovative and high value industries, including advanced engineering, the low carbon sector, professional and financial services, and the digital and creative industries. However, the region was being constrained by historic deficiencies in public transport capacity, a housing crisis that risked shutting out many of our essential workers, and pernicious inequalities that left 15% of Bristol residents living in some of the most deprived areas in England. Our air quality was poor for many years, three out of the four worst performing areas in the country for young people going on to higher education were in South Bristol alone, and Bristol's Black and Minority Ethnic communities faced among the country's worst inequalities at work and in education.

The emergence of the pandemic has had a profound impact on the city region. Although a recent Avison Young study suggested Bristol is in a more resilient position than many other UK cities, the region has still seen large scale closure of retail, cultural and hospitality sectors, major reductions in economic output and, as of the end of July 2020, 30% of eligible employees furloughed. With several national support schemes ending in the autumn, we are braced for a rapid rise in unemployment that will hit our disadvantaged communities hardest.

Richard Bonner and Zara Nanu talk about the collaboration and partnership that has enabled a city region wide response and how this work will meet the immediate challenges over the winter as the outbreak grows as well as rebuilding a green and inclusive city region.

Decision makers have engaged with 300+ businesses and employers throughout the pandemic and through the One City Approach and its One City Economy Board and the WECA Economic Recovery Task Force to create complimentary strategies for the region:

One City Economic Recovery and Renewal Strategy

This event is organised by The West of England Initiative, Business West: 'We are a leadership team that bring together business leaders to take an active role in shaping and developing the city region. Our aim is to create a prosperous city region where business and communities thrive. Our Chief Executive, James Durie Co-Chairs the One City Economy Board and President and Richard Bonner, City Director at Arcadis along with Phil Smith, Managing Director at Business West sit on  the WECA Task Force. Throughout the pandemic we have supported thousands of businesses across the South West through our Trading Through Coronavirus portal.'

The event is part of our ninth Festival of Economics, co-programmed by Diane Coyle and Richard Davies, economists and experts from around the world debate with each other – and their audiences – some of the key economic questions of our time.

It’s important to us that ideas and debate are affordable to everyone. It’s also important that our commentators, artists, writers, poets and thinkers are paid. This is a Pay What You Can  event. You are invited to choose your own contribution to the event, from £0 to £8. All proceeds go towards supporting our speakers and sustaining Festival of Ideas. The option to attend for free is available for all online events.

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Festival of Economics: Responding, Recovering and Rebuilding from Covid in Bristol and the West of England