As pubs, bars and restaurants welcome customers indoors for the first time since early January, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram is today (17 May) visiting businesses that received crucial emergency funding from the Combined Authority to help them survive Covid restrictions.

The Combined Authority has made available a vital £44 million lifeline to nearly 4000 businesses hit hard by the pandemic, through a range of grants delivered to businesses by the City Region’s six local authorities.

Initially targeted at hard-hit hospitality and retail businesses, the grants have also been available to all businesses that have seen a 40% cut in their sales or revenue.  The Combined Authority has worked closely with the City Region’s six local authorities, who have made sure the money has reached the businesses that need it.

Speaking about the visits, happening today (Monday, 17 May), Mayor Rotheram said: 

“Throughout the last year, I’ve been working tirelessly to protect our region against COVID and put us in the strongest possible foundations to build on. We’ve spent tens of millions of pounds supporting the local economy, safeguarding thousands of local jobs and businesses. 

“It’s fantastic to visit some of the businesses we’ve been able to help – some of whom might not still be here without our support – to see how they’re getting on and spend a few quid. It’d be fantastic if we could give our local businesses a bit of extra support over the next few weeks and months – and please be patient with their staff! 

“We know how tough this last year has been for local businesses and, whilst we haven’t been able to help everybody, the Combined Authority and our local councils have done all we can to help support them through the pandemic.” 

The day started with a breakfast visit with Councillor Graham Morgan, Leader of Knowsley Council, to Poco Bar and Cafe in Prescot.  Poco has benefitted from grants from the Combined Authority’s Hospitality and Leisure Fund worth £14,400.

Rich Sutton, joint owner of Poco Bar and Café, said:

“The last year has been hugely challenging and would have been for any business.  The financial support we have received from the Combined Authority was a real lifeline and one of the main reasons we are still here today.  It’s great to be able to welcome customers inside again and we can’t wait to really get back to normal over the summer.”

Cllr Graham Morgan, Leader of Knowsley Council, said:

“We have been working non-stop to support our local businesses, from making sure that they receive their grants swiftly to providing outdoor canopies to keep customers dry in the recent wet weather.  Our town centres and our town centre businesses are the beating heart of Knowsley and will be so instrumental in our economic recovery. It’s fantastic to see businesses like Poco getting back into their stride and welcoming more customers.”

At lunchtime, the Metro Mayor will visit Lunya Liverpool on Hanover Street, which also benefitted from emergency grants from the Combined Authority, worth £96,000.

Lunya owner, Peter Kinsella said:

“It’s impossible to overstate how difficult a year this has been.  We have been able to keep our online business going but it has been heart-breaking to see our restaurants in Liverpool temporarily closed due to pandemic restrictions.  In these challenging times the support from the Combined Authority has been vital in enabling us to keep going.  Hopefully we can now look forward to better times ahead.” 

The LCRCA has developed several grant schemes, administered by each of the six local authorities that form the Combined Authority, that have been focused on supporting the retention of jobs and businesses.

The amount of funding available has not always been able to meet the demand from businesses, meaning that not all businesses have been successful. Therefore, in determining the grant schemes eligibility criteria, the LCRCA and Local Authorities have sought to balance the number of businesses they can support within the priority areas and the overall amount of money that is available.

The LCRCA continue to work collaboratively in developing new grant schemes to support businesses. The following are the grant schemes that have launched to date:

Hospitality and Leisure Support Grants

The Hospitality and Leisure Support Grants (Rounds I and II) focused on small or micro Hospitality, Leisure and Retail businesses and its supply chain.

Within the Liverpool City Region there are over 50,000 jobs and 4,000 businesses in the hospitality and leisure sector, contributing £5 billion per annum to the economy. The Fund was devised to support viable hospitality, leisure and retail businesses so that they could continue trading and to optimise employment retention in the short to medium term.     

In January 2021 a Top-up Payments for Hospitality and Leisure Businesses scheme was launched and comprised of a single payment to organisations and the self-employed who received support under Rounds I and II of the Hospitality and Leisure Fund.

Local Business Support Grants

The LCRCA was determined to go further in supporting the City Region, by supporting businesses in any sector that could demonstrate a loss of at least 40% in sales/revenue due to Covid-19. The Local Business Support Grants (Round III) was initiated in February 2021 and focused on supporting micro, small and medium sized businesses, plus the self-employed. Unlike previous rounds that had focused on the leisure and hospitality sector, this round was open businesses in any sector of the economy who had lost 40% or more of their income.

Taxi Grant

In October 2020, the LCRCA agreed a Taxi Grant scheme to support LCR resident taxi drivers to continue operating despite downturn in the market. A small grant was provided for each taxi driver who was registered and resident in the City Region and in February 2021 a small Taxi Top up grant was launched with the same eligibility criteria.

LCR Care Providers Grant

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the Liverpool City Region’s childcare and care home businesses including a fall in demand alongside increased costs related to creating Covid-safe environments. As a direct response to the challenges these businesses are facing, an LCR Care Providers Grant, launched May 2021, was specifically created to support registered businesses in the Childcare and Adult social care sector.

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