Guest Blog by Southport councillor Mike Sammon
A month has passed since Elsie, Bebe and Alice lost their lives and many more injured in the most horrendous circumstances. We will never forget them. We will also remember our local heroes such as the dance teachers Leanne and Heidi, and all of the passers by who dived in to save lives. Southport will remain together as we have done following the tragic incident of 29th July 2024 and the awful riots which followed.
The strength of the Southport community leaves me with great optimism for the future of our town. I’ve heard so many people saying that they now want to visit Southport after seeing what a great community we have. Southport does need visitors, we were built as a seaside resort. We must embrace being a tourist destination.
Over the past week I have been reaching out to the local business community, to check up on how they have found the last month and to find out how I can support them in my role on Sefton Council. The business community is not a separate entity, they are a part of the Southport community.
Local businesses held fundraising events for the victims and their families, they raised awareness of how we can help everyone affected. Local businesses, alongside residents turned up on St Luke’s Road where I live at the crack of dawn to clear up the mess left by the rioters and rebuild the Mosque wall. They didn’t have to be asked, they just turned up quietly and got on with the job. For that I am so grateful.
It took journalists speaking to them to find out who they were. They were Southport people. From the very worst thing that could happen, came the greatest display of community that I have ever seen. This makes me incredibly proud to call Southport my home.
What local businesses haven’t been talking about is how for many it’s been a really tough month with a stark drop in footfall and bookings for August. Now they need our help to make up for it.
As a small business owner myself, I know how tough it can be with the long hours and late nights. When you buy from a small business, you’re not supporting a CEO buy a second home. You’re supporting a mum and dad putting food on the table, buying their children Christmas presents and maybe going on a family holiday.
I am not asking you to think of local businesses as charities but they still need our support. If we lose them, it is not only jobs and livelihoods lost but we lose a piece of our town’s character and history. We lose unique reasons for people to visit and experiences in venues that no other place offers. We lose choices only available from that one special place. The place you go to buy a gift for a loved one perhaps, when you need something more thoughtful than what’s available from a large department store or a national online shop.
It is not only shops and places we can visit that matter. Most small businesses operate from home or come out to visit you in your own home. They may provide entertainment for kids parties, manufacture bespoke furniture or repair our roofs.
So how can we support these local businesses? You don’t need to change your lifestyle or stop going to all the national companies (which also employ local staff).
When you have the choice, I urge you to consider what small, local business might also offer that product or service. You may be pleasantly surprised with what they have to offer and I’m sure they will go above and beyond to help you choose.
After using a local business, it is especially important to leave a good review. It will encourage more people to use them and it could make someone’s day.
Supporting local businesses does not only mean giving them your custom. You can like and follow their social media pages, share their posts and websites, spread the word to your friends and family. Everything you do will be appreciated.
Southport’s businesses supported us at our darkest time, now it’s our turn to support them. Let Southport’s businesses dream again.
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