Good and bad news about how we're doing: The top business stories in Hampshire and Dorset

A record number of new companies were formed in Britain last year, at the same time as Covid devastated the economy.

The national picture was reflected in Hampshire, where 15,534 companies were formed. But in Dorset, the number of new businesses fell.

This was one of several pieces of research looking at the state of our local economies. We were also told that the Bournemouth area faces the steepest challenge in the South West if it is to recover from the Covid crisis. Meanwhile, another report found that found more than 3,000 businesses in Southampton and nearly 2,000 in Bournemouth were in "significant" financial distress.

Other top stories this week

• Damien Lee was told he had weeks to live, long before I first interviewed him in 2016. Not only did the experience fail to thwart his business ambitions, but his switch to healthy eating actually inspired the launch of Mr Lee's Noodles. Everyone who knew him will be devastated to learn of his death at the age of 54. His business put out a tribute which describes him very well indeed.
• People in the hospitality trade were not impressed to hear a government minister suggesting that the full 20 per cent VAT rate might return before they're even out of lockdown. One said the UK could kiss the industry goodbye without a break on this and other issues.
• The eventual return of business rates will be another big burden for business. The man running the revived Beales department store in Poole told me the old system should not come back.
• With a lot of support due to taper out soon, and the first repayments scheduled to begin on government loans, one insolvency practice has highlighted some of the main risks facing businesses.
• Any hopes of saving local Debenhams stores have been dashed by a deal to sell the brand name and website to online rival Boohoo. Those closed stores include a landmark building in Bournemouth and a branch employing 100 people in Winchester.
• Boohoo also confirmed it was in talks to buy some of the famous brands owned by the Arcadia Group.
• Another retailer in administration, Paperchase, has been rescued. But the chain - which has stores in Dorset and Hampshire - will close 37 branches.
• New marinas don't open very often - but one is due to open in Christchurch in April.
• Southampton FC has a new contractor to maintain its grounds and help reduce its carbon footprint.
• Those without home computers or technical knowhow risk being cut off from support and advice at the moment - but a collaboration between an IT company and a Citizens Advice Bureau is changing that.
• House building in Dorset slowed last year as the pandemic took hold.
• 10,000 tonnes of salt arrived in Southampton docks recently - the biggest such shipment in four years - ready to be spread on freezing roads.
• Retirement developer McCarthy & Stone has been given permission to build 60 homes at a prime site in Poole.
• A business that was formerly part of the Cobham aerospace empire has a new name after being sold last year.
• The organisers of the Big Sustainabiliy Expo that had to be cancelled last year have launched an online service which allows businesses toget advice from experts on the subject.
• And a holiday park in the New Forest is on the market with a price tag of nearly ï¿¡3million.

Someone else's story

There's a reason Peter Taylor was named Business Leader of the Year in the recent South Coast Business Awards. The managing partner of law firm Paris Smith believes leadership is about values and empathy, and this approach runs through everything he does.

(Full disclosure: Peter was an enormous source of support to me personally as I sought to find my feet and cover business news in Hampshire.)

My choice of someone else's content this week is Peter's blog for the Law Society about leading his business through successive lockdowns at the same time as shielding because of his own designation as extremely vulnerable.

It's all about people

I've been writing articles weekly about how to share your news with journalists. This week, I looked at the importance of thinking about the people in your story.

Thanks for having me

I really enjoyed being a guest of the new 4Networking group for the M3 corridor this week - online, of course. Thanks to Mike Boss, Joanna Michael and Tony Edwards for having me along, and to guest speaker Adrian Hayes for delivering a great talk - even as he was struggling through a migraine. The group meets twice a month and tickets have been selling fast.

Another excellent event this week was a 'round table' organised by the Daily Echo titles and NatWest, with some leading figures in hospitality discussing the challenges of lockdown and Brexit. Watch in the coming days for a report.

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Until next time, stay safe.