Labour Party Conference Networking Event

THE Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor, Steve Rotheram, and the CGI hosted a special networking session with political leaders from the City Region, along with stakeholder and delegates at one of the City's iconic landmarks. The event, on:- Sunday, 22 September 2024, was running on the back of the Labour Party Conference to show of the Region's recent achievements. The event was also designed to explain the City Region's link up to the CGI who are working with Combined Authority to improve business opportunities for the Region. The networking event within the Gerry Marsden Ferry Terminal, Pier Head, also had light entertainment, food and drinks.

A beloved Southport restaurant has ceased operating

YET another iconic local business within Southport, Fuego's Mexican Restaurant & Tapas Bar, found on Stanley Street, had to close its doors for good. Its iconic branding and themed interior made this restaurant a hit with customers for over 25 years.

We do not know the exact reason why Fuego's has closed, but we do know trading conditions within Southport have been extremely difficult since the Pandemic. Sadly, the Pandemic and the relentless demands on small businesses, from paying back Covid Loans, BREXIT, dealing with ever increasing wages and other costs, changes in Tax Credits to Universal Credit, plus other related issues are having a devastating impact on all small business in the UK. For many those issues have been exacerbated further by the recent issues that have affected the seaside town's economy.

Owner Ryan Thompson issued a public statement on:- Facebook, on:- Saturday, 14 September 2024, saying:- "Hello everyone� it�s with the heaviest heart I�ve had to close the restaurants doors for the last time! We�re all devastated and will miss all our customers more than you know! Decades of great memories have been made and friends for life! I want to thank everyone for their support over the years and I hope to see everyone out & about soon! Your loyalty will never be forgotten! All my staff over the years have been amazing & I�m so happy I got to work with you all! Thank you all for letting us feed you all for so long! Love Fuegos."

And it isn't just restaurants that are closing down. The Gallery One on Lord Street is closing along with independent dress shops, and many others. We have even lost The 3 floor Beales Department Store, on Lord Street. It was bought in May 2020 by NewStart2020 Limited, after the national Beales brand went under. Since it reopened, it has been hit hard by the National and local Covid19 Lockdowns and the chances in shopping within the Town, despite also selling online. A few weeks back it also closed its store within Southport Town Centre.

For Southport that has lots of seasonal jobs and its job market is extremely affected by tourism, the last thing it needed was to hear that the biggest employer of non seasonal jobs might close.

In the last few weeks it was discovered that the Government is looking at closing the Towns biggest employer, Smedley Hydro, the home of the General Register Office for England and Wales. This is despite Keir Starmer saying he will do everything he can to help the people of Southport, following the recent incidents.

One businesses owner has said:- "The loss of these jobs within our community will never be replaced all that easily. Labour must stop and give real financial support to small businesses or the backbone of our economy will collapse and be lost forever. This is not a pessimistic rant, but reality. The Conservatives broke the economy and focused on big international businesses, Labour is doing the same. Yes, money is tight, but like in businesses you need to invest to grow. Sadly, all forms of borrowing are incredibly hard to get for many small businesses and the pressure is just too high. If we continue to lose small businesses we will stop innovation and hand over the keys to our nation to multi nationals and foreign countries. What is happening in Southport should be a wakeup call. We have had riots caused by misinformation spread by foreign websites that have been pushed ahead of UK websites. We have had company's asset stripping the UK for years. Even our power, transport and manufacturing are owned by foreign businesses. If we do not support small businesses now, we will lose everything, including our way of life."

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Labour Party Conference Networking Event

A beloved Southport restaurant has ceased operating