Mental health is the biggest worry for York businesses
Economic bosses in the city say the coronavirus pandemic is causing stress for business owners and their employees
Mental health is the biggest concern among York businesses, economic bosses have revealed.
It comes as the latest data suggest 15 per cent of businesses will not survive the next three months, a figure that would equate to about 1,000 companies in York and 16,000 job losses.
Simon Brereton, head of economic growth at the council, said the predictions are worrying.
The latest data shows the amount of people in the city centre is at about the same level as in the first lockdown, with Monday being the busiest day.
It also showed that despite the lockdown being lifted in December, spend in the city was down by 39 per cent on 2019.
Mr Brereton said:
“Retailers didn’t recover their losses from earlier in the year. They had a reasonable December but actually it just highlights that the spring is going to be difficult again.”
He added:
“Mental health is really the top of the list in terms of what people are talking about at the moment, both in terms of the stress that business owners are under but also they stress that employees are under – either continuing to work from home or uncertainty that comes with with the risk to jobs.
“There’s a lot of more financial risk around at the moment, that lost income that I’ve pointed to, the business loans that people have taken out. Those loans are going to be due soon and there’s concern about how they will pay them back.”
He said the council is making plans to support businesses when lockdown is lifted and council leader Keith Aspden said the organisation will continue to lobby for extra help.