Pay It Forward plan to help small firms survive crisis
PEOPLE are being urged to help local businesses during the coronavirus outbreak with the launch of a Pay It Forward campaign.
Southport Business Improvement District (BID) is leading the drive to help firms begin the process of recovery.
Residents can buy vouchers for a wide range of goods from businesses, such as shops, hairdressers, restaurants, cafes, bars, and many more.
They can pay now for goods or services which they can redeem once the coronavirus lockdown eases and life starts returning to normal.
Southport BID is teaming up with Crowdfunder for the campaign.
Southport BID chair Susannah Porter said: “This is a good way of supporting our local businesses and building some trade for when they all reopen.
“They are talking about a traffic light system of reopening with some shops allowed to open first, and venues such as pubs and cafes joining them later on.
“People have already been at home for a long time and they will be starting to want to go out and be with other people again.
“Any business can set up a Pay It Forward scheme.
“Hairdressers for example will be a really good one. In the last Zoom meeting I was involved with, some people on there were starting to look a little bit dishevelled!
“Some of the bars in Southport are doing cocktail vouchers or cocktail experience vouchers.
“Lots of other types of businesses can get involved in this too.
“It is time for business owners to get really creative and come up with some good ideas.
“The Government is keeping an eye out for companies and towns which are good at helping themselves, so I hope
Southport can lead the way.”
In light of the sharp downturn in income felt by small businesses all over the UK due to Covid19, Crowdfunder and Enterprise Nation will provide the tech and tools to enable small businesses to sell their services now on a promise to their customers that they can redeem them later.
The Pay it Forward campaign will provide free training for small businesses to help with online sales, cashflow support and legal support, provided by Enterprise Nation and supported by Southport BID.
The lockdown has reduced vital income for small businesses that need a regular flow of cash to pay rent or salaries, for example.
Owners of small businesses who are worried about the future because of the lockdown can setup a Pay it Forward campaign at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/pay-itforward.
Crowdfunder will cover all platform and transaction fees.