Last Saturday (5th December) was Small Business Saturday, and Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon spent the morning visiting small businesses across the constituency, and talking to traders about how they’ve managed this year.
Analysis of the ONS ‘Business Impact of Coronavirus’ survey shows that an estimated 400 small businesses in Oldham West and Royton are worried they won’t survive the next three months. Over 500 small businesses have seen turnover plummet by more than half – even before the second national lockdown was imposed.
Labour has also revealed that just over 1000 small businesses in Oldham West and Royton do not have cash reserves to last beyond three months. Yet the vast majority of businesses required to close have received much smaller grants from government than they did during the first lockdown – with most receiving either just a third or half of what they received in March.
Jim said, “I’m really keen to make sure that we support our small and medium traders through what has been a very difficult year, with Christmas coming we’ve got an opportunity to show our love for independent traders.”
“And in Oldham West and Royton that means supporting our 3000 small businesses who are rooted in our community, who are our friends and our neighbours.”
“We desperately need government to rethink how they’re dealing with small businesses during the pandemic, many of them are trying their best to innovate but it is a struggle for some. Many have been left out in the cold or just been given really inadequate support that does not even begin to scratch the surface.”
“There are about 1000 small businesses in Oldham West and Royton who don’t have cash reserves to last them beyond the next three months, some of them only have a months’ worth. So, over the next few weeks please do what you can to shop locally and give our small businesses a boost.”
Jim McMahon OBE MP 