Southport Businesses Suffer Major Sales Drop, Liberal Democrats Demand Urgent Support

Southport town centre businesses need urgent support – local Liberal Democrats

Following the report to Sefton Council that Southport Town Centre businesses are down 40-70% on sales following the tragic events of July 2024, Southport Liberal Democrats are calling for urgent and wider support for all affected businesses.

In September Sefton Council launched the Southport Business Recovery fund to aid businesses in the Hart Street and St Luke’s Road area which were forced to close or suffered damaged from the dreadful summer riots. 

Councillor Mike Sammon commented: “I made clear in my speech to Sefton Council 3 months ago that the Southport Business Recovery fund does not go far enough. Yet here we are in the week before Christmas and I am still being contacted by businesses in desperate need of meaningful support. Businesses which rely on tourism and footfall in the town centre have lost out on crucial summer takings and are now worried about paying their bills through the Christmas period. I appreciate Sefton Council have since put on events and extended the available support by offering some free advice to businesses. However, local business owners tell me that this does not make up for their huge losses in sales and they need financial support not advice from the Council on how to run their business.”

Southport Liberal Democrat leader, John Pugh added “I’ve heard from many local businesses really concerned about their future. They are viable and popular businesses who don’t deserve to be worried through Christmas and New Year. After all, this was a temporary drop in footfall which can be addressed by temporary financial assistance.

“Sefton Council must look at how to broaden the existing support arrangements which may mean going back to the Government, armed with the data for a further conversation and increased funding. If nothing changes, we may find some of our favourite local businesses are no longer around for next summer. It is imperative that all of us in Southport rally around our local businesses and try to make a special effort to shop local.”

Any businesses affected by the awful events of the summer who may need advice for support, can contact Invest Sefton on 0151 934 3452 or email [email protected]

If you have a local business and would like to discuss how the events have affected you, you can contact Councillor John Pugh on [email protected] or Councillor Mike Sammon on [email protected] ”