Businesses working in the Liverpool City Region’s hospitality and leisure sector have been provided additional support from the metro mayor, the mayor and leaders of the region’s six local authorities, with an emergency fund of up to £40 million set up to help rescue the sector from economic collapse.
The industry supports more than 50,000 jobs across 4,000 businesses, contributing £5 billion a year to the local economy, but more than 300 businesses have already been lost as a result of the pandemic. If it hadn’t been for government assistance over the last few months, many more would have found themselves in a similar position.
The idea of the new emergency fund is to serve as a stop gap until more financial support is secured from central government, set up in response to new restrictions that came into force on October 3rd, preventing people from mixing with other households in indoor venues, such as bars, pubs and restaurants.
In a joint statement, the leaders said: “We want to send a message to those businesses that we understand the pain you are going through, your fight to survive and that we stand with you.
“We have made it clear to the government that with new restrictions must come a comprehensive package of financial support for our economy and that this is particularly urgent for businesses in your sector, many of which have already reached breaking point. We pledge to you that we are doing everything we can to convince the government to help.”
The new coronavirus restrictions brought in on October 3rd cover Liverpool, Halton, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral, as well as Warrington. These measures are enforceable by law and subject to fines.
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