2 in 3 Southport residents say they will shop local to support small businesses, reveals survey

MANY businesses across the UK have been plunged into the depths of economic despair due to the Coronavirus pandemic. In fact, between March and June 2020, 649,000* UK employees were left unemployed as a result of lockdown. Small and medium sized businesses are the backbone of the economy, but it appears many would be entrepreneurs are now too afraid to start their own business, given the uncertainty of the economy over the next few months and possibly years.

InvestingReviews.co.uk conducted a survey (3,000; 18+) which revealed that 14% would be entrepreneurs in Southport would consider starting their own business now. With the pandemic showing no signs of easing any time soon, the majority of people would hesitate to invest money into establishing a new business in such an uncertain national economic climate. While this pattern applies across the UK, those in the north of England are the most pessimistic than others, whereas Londoners are the most optimistic with 24% of them seeing new business opportunities.

The pandemic has also created a shift in consumer behaviour with perhaps a silver lining and heart-warming statistic to emerge that 63% of Southport residents say they are making efforts to shop at and support local businesses during this time, rather than large franchises and chain stores.

Products and materials sourced closer to home are usually more sustainable as they produce fewer carbon emissions, they can also be more expensive; but higher quality; than those you may find at large chain stores. Despite this, 49% of respondents say they would be prepared to pay a premium for local products, rather than buy cheaper ones at larger retailers, given the severe strain on local businesses at the moment.

If you are an entrepreneur, there are some benefits to working from home on your own terms, such as no daily commute. However, there is no denying the loneliness that can arise as a result of working on your own without the company of colleagues. In fact,36% entrepreneurs who have been working from home say they have realised they prefer working with colleagues due to the loneliness of being on their own.

Studies show that the current job forecast is the weakest it has been in the UK since 1992, therefore, it is perhaps understandable 76% of people believe the economic effects of the pandemic will be the worst they experience in their lifetime.

Lastly, 29% respondents admit they would try to talk a friend or family member out of starting their own business, given the current economic climate.

"When thinking about starting a business, it is of vital importance to assess the investment risks involved, especially considering the current state of the economy; not just in the UK but on a global scale. There is no question that right now is a difficult time to take a financial risk, however, the crisis will also present new opportunities for entrepreneurs, which will help drive the economy in the months and years ahead." says Peter Field, Editor at:- InvestingReviews.Co.UK.

Young people asked for masterpieces to brighten up the Sefton's Covid-19 Test Centres

YOUNG people across Sefton are being asked to submit colourful drawings, paintings, and designs to brighten up the Borough's 2, walk through COVID-19 test sites in Bootle and Southport. Both of Sefton's walk through Local Testing Sites, which greatly improve access to COVID-19 tests for people who do not have access to a car, are now open. They are located opposite Bootle Town Hall and at Southport Town Hall with access via the Corporation Street entrance.

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council's Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said:- "It's great that Sefton has these two Local Test Centres to enable more people to access these vital tests that tell them if they are positive for Coronavirus and whether they need to isolate. But they look a bit dull at the moment and we wanted to make them a bit more welcoming, which is where Sefton’s young people come in. Send us your colourful paintings, drawings, designs and masterpieces and we will use them to brighten up the surroundings for people going along for a test and the people working in the centres."

Completed artwork can be posted to Sefton Council, Bootle Town Hall, Oriel Road, L20 7AE, or sent by email to:- Communications@Sefton.Gov.UK to be printed out. Sefton's 2 walk through sites are the first in Merseyside and will be in place for several months. Each has between four and eight testing bays which can each test up to three people an hour. Users are asked to self-swab when attending. To get a test at 1 of the centres, people 1st need to book a test online or by calling:- 119 or Sefton Council's Contact Centre on:- 0345 140 0845. There is on street pay and display parking nearby for those people travelling to the Local Testing Sites by car.

MP calls for unclaimed grants funds to be redistributed to the "excluded"

BILL Esterson MP has called on the Chancellor to do more to help workers and small businesses that have been excluded from Government support during the Coronavirus pandemic. MP for Sefton Central Bill Esterson asked the Chancellor Rishi Sunak to increase the funds available to Councils to hand out via the local authority discretionary grant fund. Sefton Council has confirmed to Mr Esterson that the £2.2m fund they are distributing to businesses that have been ineligible for previous schemes has been oversubscribed, which means many businesses will still miss out.

In an email from the Council Mr Esterson was told:- "The Discretionary Grant has a total budget of £2.2m and as at 30 July, over £2.6m worth of applications had been received. However, we expected not all would progress and the Council reopened its application portal for a further period from 3 August to 26 August 2020. At present there are no plans to open the scheme up to businesses working from home. Sefton has also followed all the mandatory elements of the guidance set by Government in terms of making the scheme available to businesses with fixed property costs including those in shared premises. Also, in accordance with Government guidance we also funding for Bed and Breakfast establishments who pay Council tax and who therefore missed out on Small Business Grant and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure grant schemes. Sefton Council has also used its discretion to allocate funding to the Visitor Economy Sector which has been severely affected by the pandemic and is at most risk. Our Economic Recovery research has already indicated that the borough will lose up to £300m and put potentially 3,000 jobs at risk. With the limited amount of grant available it was agreed to prioritise those businesses that have high fixed commercial property overheads, as opposed to those working from home."

Mr Esterson wrote to the Chancellor after hearing from constituents who run their businesses from home. Where the businesses are also limited companies, their owners have been unable to attract any grant or income support from the current schemes. Many people who have only recently become self employed or who earned just over the Government threshold also did not qualify for support. Meanwhile for employees, there was no upper earnings limit on who was and was not eligible, leaving a cliff edge for people who run their own businesses.

Mr Esterson said:- "These are just some of the excluded that I have been campaigning for. It is thought that there are around 3 million workers in the UK who have had no support at all from the Government during the pandemic. These include businesses that are run from home. Sefton Council have said they are not helping these business, whereas other Councils have handed out grants to businesses operating from home. I have written to the Chancellor to ask that he increase the funds he has made available to Sefton Council so that they can widen the beneficiaries of the scheme and help the business and self-employed workers who have yet to receive any support."

Last month Bill Esterson MP wrote to the Chancellor to ask that he consider allowing Sefton Council to use unspent funds from the Business Grant Scheme, which was set up to distribute grants to the retail and hospitality sector, for the discretionary scheme.

In a letter to Bill Esterson from Sefton Council leader Ian Maher, Cllr Maher wrote:- "We estimate between three to four thousand businesses in Sefton will not have received any financial support due to the criteria set out by Government. Given the impending recession which will most definitely impact on our local businesses, it would enhance the economic activities and strengthen local businesses if we, as a Council, were able to extend our discretionary grant aid scheme and utilise the remaining funding which is left from the initial business support scheme. Without this support, and as the funds have already been allocated, we will see more small local businesses go to the wall. We would ask the Chancellor to reconsider the Government's position and allow Sefton to serve the needs of our business community."

Mr Esterson said:- "We know that throughout the UK, around £1.5bn of the money the Chancellor set aside for the small business grants, and the retail, hospitality and leisure grants, remains unclaimed. We're told this money will have to be handed back to the Treasury at the end of this month if it is left unclaimed. I am asking the Chancellor to allow Councils to keep this money and to be given more for discretionary grants to distribute to those businesses and workers who have so far been excluded from all other Government schemes. The right place for these funds is in the our local economy helping with the recovery which we all so desperately want to see."

Total UK cases COVID-19 cases in and around Liverpool City Region

THE total UK daily number of lab-confirmed positive test results:- 816. The total overall UK lab-confirmed positive test results:- 311,641. Daily number of COVID-19 associated UK fatalities added to the total, was sadly reported to be:- 21, with the total number of deaths of people who have had a positive test result now standing at:- 46,526. In England, there are a total of 269,011 confirmed cases since the outbreak. North West - total of 48,330 confirmed cases. The number of COVID-19 patients currently in UK Hospitals:- 1,067. The current number of COVID-19 patients currently in mechanical ventilation beds in UK Hospitals:- 67. Daily number of COVID-19 patients admitted to UK Hospitals:- 142. Due to new UK Government system of reporting we are having to sort out a new system to bring you the local area results, for the Liverpool City Region and surrounding areas.