Photography Studio fully equipped to keep treasured memories alive
"The support from the county council was invaluable," said Andy. "It enabled us to take the business forward in a way which will benefit our customers not just immediately but in the long term."
A Warwickshire-based photographer which pivoted during lockdown to give its customers the service they need is well-equipped for further growth after harnessing local business support.
Avon Studios, in Wellesbourne, expanded its video and cine film operation to a digital media conversion service which has blossomed during the last two years and is now available fully online.
With the innovative new service, customers throughout the UK can book in video and camcorder tapes online. These are then collected by a courier and, after transfer to USB or DVD at Avon Studios, the completed conversion is couriered back to the customer. There is an additional option for a digital download with cloud storage of the customer's videotape.
The business' expansion advanced after studio manager Andy Sheppard received support from Warwickshire County Council's Survive, Sustain & Grow programme. Andy received specialist advice on developing a COVID recovery plan for the business and also an SSG grant to fund a new website and refurbishment of the shop in Kineton Road.
Andy explained: “The studio has been transferring video and camcorder tapes for over 20 years, alongside our photography work, but during lockdown the photography work vanished overnight. But then with people spending their days at home tidying and going through attics finding video tapes of long lost memories, we started getting emails and calls asking about video transfer.
"So we organised a socially-distanced local doorstep collection service around Coventry & Warwickshire. People started talking about it on social media and before we knew it we were inundated with tapes and cine film to collect for conversion. We were soon getting people throughout the UK contacting us about our video and camcorder services too.
"The natural progression was to set up a dedicated website with online booking facility to either book in tapes or send to us or let our courier service collect it.”
The new website, funded by the SSG grant and built by Coventry-based CWN Design, and is now live.
"The support from the county council was invaluable," said Andy. "It enabled us to take the business forward in a way which will benefit our customers not just immediately but in the long term."
The Survive, Sustain and Grow programme, now closed, was a £700,000 programme created by Warwickshire County Council to assist businesses micro and small enterprises in the retail, tourism and hospitality sectors with their post COVID-19 recovery plans. It supported 243 businesses employing 790 people, helped safeguard 472 jobs that were at risk, and is forecasted to create more than 140 new jobs.
Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Economy and Place, Cllr Kam Kaur, said: "Avon Studios is a great example of a small business which has shown the resilience and enterprise to meet the challenges of lockdown. I am delighted that support from our Survive, Sustain & Grow programme has left them strongly placed to help their customers keep precious memories alive far into the future."
For further information please visit www.avonvideotransfer.co.uk or contact Avon Studios info@avonstudios.co.uk or call 01789 470663.