Business leaders in Sussex calling for financial support following lockdown delay
The Federation of Small Businesses Sussex claims some businesses, such as nightclubs, have seen little to no income in the last 15 months
Last updated 16th Jun 2021
Small businesses in Sussex are counting the cost following the Prime Ministers announcement, confirming a four-week delay to the final stage of lockdown.
On Monday (13th June) Boris Johnson announced that restrictions could not be fully lifted until July 19th, following a rise in cases of the Delta variant of coronavirus, first identified in India.
Now, the Federation of Small businesses in Sussex is calling on the Government for more financial support - with those working in the leisure, hospitality and event industry, having had little to no income for more than 15 months.
Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Sussex Leader, Jim Cunliffe, said:
"Many small businesses have been waiting for the 21 June with bated breath as their chance to be fully operative without the restrictions and closures that have dogged us for much of the past 15 months.
"But despite a successful vaccine programme and all their best efforts, they will be bitterly disappointed to find they face at least another month of hardship.”
The visitor economy provides work for thousands of people in Sussex. The federation claims that they will remain hard hit and unable to trade to capacity, including our pubs, cafes, and restaurants.
Jim Cunliffe says businesses need more financial support if they are to survive:
“These businesses need further support. We have always said to Ministers it is important that financial support must keep pace for those businesses that, through no fault of their own, are restricted from trading due to Government decisions on managing the pandemic.
"It is fully understandable that as this pandemic evolves, the goalposts too will move, but many small firms who have been hanging onto the edge will be left wondering if they can survive further periods of restrictions without additional support.”
While previous local lockdowns are no longer in force and some easing of restrictions on weddings are welcome to some, FSB Sussex says it's concerned about the impact of continuing restrictions on mental health, as well as livelihoods.
This is why the small business support group are saying 19 July must be the final date for restrictions to be in place.
FSB Sussex is calling for the 100% Business Rates relief for the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors to be extended beyond the 30 June deadline to cover this next set of restrictions.
Also, for the increased employer contributions, scheduled for the 1 July, to be delayed until all restrictions have eased, and, thirdly, compassionate interventions on Covid19 related Bounce Back Loans to ease the burden of debt.
It's also calling on the Government to consider writing off Covid loans for the most restricted firms.
Jim Cunliffe commented:
"Small firms in Sussex need support now, they understand the need to take a cautious approach out of lockdown, but not at the sacrifice of businesses, jobs and livelihoods. So, the Government must act to prevent further economic casualties."