Sefton Council is building on its work to support businesses in Southport with a series of free services in the wake of the tragic events of the Summer.

The Local Authority have brought in a number of helpful measures, including free pre planning advice and food hygiene support for both new and existing businesses.

This follows the establishment of a Business Recovery Fund which provided financial assistance to businesses and organisations located in the Hart Street and St Lukes Road areas of Southport who had suffered from prolonged and enforced closure. 

As Sefton Council and its partners continue to work with the business and economy sector, a number of teams within the Council are busy working around the clock to ensure extra support measures are in place for the wider town.

A number of free services are set to launch from December, including:
•    In person planning advice from a senior officer for businesses and investors looking to develop in the town centre
•    Free pre-planning applications for developments which make 'positive contributions' to the town centre and seafront
•    Free support for food businesses to comply with hygiene legislation.
•    Free guidance on workplace health and safety in relation to commercial premises.

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council's Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Economy and Skills, said: "We are acutely aware of how vital businesses are to ensuring Southport and the wider Borough can recover from the tragic and shocking events of July.

"We know that they need help and we are doing all that we can to ensure there is help available. This includes looking at how much we can use the expert knowledge of our senior officers to support businesses and investors to make it easier to grow.

"Some of the best food hygiene standards in the country are in Sefton and Southport is rich in hospitality however rules and regulations change frequently and we want to ensure our businesses who do supply food and drink are in the best possible position to meet and exceed hygiene standards. 

"We also want to ensure it's easy to explore planning applications to encourage positive and beneficial developments, whether that's for existing businesses looking to expand or new investors who want to set up in the resort.

"We can't and wont bend the rules and businesses will still have to go through all the relevant processes to ensure fairness but we want to make sure we can put them in the very best position to do so."

More information about the free advice and support packages will be shared in due course.