Battered Fylde coast businesses call for extension of government support to survive on Boris' road to recovery

Business leaders were unanimous that if hospitality and tourism venues are to survive the gradual reopening up of society over the next four months, then furlough support, business rates relief, the VAT holiday and grant support brought in last year, have to be maintained by the government.

But the road map, with its dates when various businesses should be allowed to reopen if infection rates continue to fall, has allowed businesses to plan ahead and the clarity has been welcomed.

Michael Williams, managing director of Blackpool's Winter Gardens said: "We are somewhat relieved to learn of the Governments road map out of the Pandemic. The dates now give us time to plan accordingly and the opportunity to reschedule events and shows.

"Hopefully, in next weeks Budget, the Chancellor will extend the current financial support including furlough, VAT reduction and provide further grants for Hospitality Businesses. It has been an incredibly challenging 12-months for the business and wider resort which so desperately relies on high numbers of visitors especially those that travel from across the UK to the events at the Winter Gardens.

"Hopefully, summer heralds the return to a greater form of normality that allows the business and Blackpool to start on the long road to recovery."

Blackpool council warned that while a clear timetable towards re-opening in the summer was welcome, the loss of Easter to the resort will hurt businesses desperate to get back to welcoming paying customers.

Coun Gillian Campbell, Cabinet Member for Tourism and Culture for Blackpool Council, said: “It is encouraging that our tourism and hospitality industry has received some of the forward guidance that it has craved for so long. That at least gives visitors the confidence to start planning ahead.

“However, while the potential phased reopening of our tourism businesses in April and May is welcome, we cannot ignore the fact that the industry is set to lose another three bank holidays which will inevitably have a significant negative impact on recovery.

“That means that yesterday’s road map announcement must be followed by the Chancellor committing in his Spring Budget statement to further measures of business support including extensions of VAT and business rate reductions in order to avoid wholesale job losses and closures across the hospitality sector.”

Paul Foster, development manger for the region at the Blackpool-based Federation of Small Businesses, warned it could be some time before local economies feel the benefit of the easing of lockdown so it was vital support was extended.

He said: “It's clear that support will need to continue until at least the summer. Furlough and business rates exemptions must be extended and grant support will also be needed for some for many more months yet.”

"Some businesses may soon see a boost with consumers soon able to visit and spend, but for others it will be a much slower return to normal trading levels, and of course our businesses and communities are inter-dependent and it takes time for the opening up of the economy to feed through."

Babs Murphy, chief executive of the North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, said: “While the vaccine roll-out offers significant optimism, the scarring caused by the pandemic is likely to remain for some time.

"Firms however, will be relieved by the Prime Minister's road map announcement, setting out clear timescales to reopen the economy. It will go a long way to help our business community to plan, rebuild and recover.

"Yet the government can’t take its foot off the pedal, all main stream business support measures must be extended until the economy fully opens and demand returns.”

Dr Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce said: "Even with the Prime Minister’s new road map, the future of thousands of firms and millions of jobs still hangs by a thread. Many hard-hit businesses simply don’t have the cash reserves needed to hold out several more months before they are allowed to reopen."

Rachel McQueen, Chief Executive of Marketing Lancashire said while support would still be needed, if everything went to plan then the county was well positioned to enjoy a staycation boost this summer.

She said: "We're encouraged to finally have a clear route to re-opening and I'm confident that Lancashire's tourism and hospitality sector can once again, work towards putting in place all that's required to do that safely and securely.

"They did so for the brief period of opening in 2020 and I know they're eager to get back to doing what they do best - welcoming visitors with our renowned Lancashire warmth and generosity. We will continue to lobby for all the support we can get to help ensure that they can do just that.

"We're fortunate that Lancashire is 80 per cent rural, with 137 miles of coastline, offering the wide-open spaces that we have all craved to visit during lockdown, and that we have ample self-catering accommodation and holiday parks that we know some visitors will feel more comfortable with initially.

"We're therefore hopeful of a good summer season and will be doing everything we can to support the sector and to ensure that Lancashire is front of mind when it comes to booking a 2021 staycation."

Blackpool Gazette: Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 for your first month. Try us today by clicking here