People urged to Pay it Forward and help businesses in Southport

People are being urged to help local businesses during the coronavirus outbreak with the launch of a new Pay It Forward campaign.

Southport Business Improvement District is leading the drive as it looks to help firms in our town begin the process of recovery.

Residents can buy vouchers for a wide range of goods from all kinds of businesses, such as shops, hairdressers, restaurants, cafes, bars, and many more.

They can pay now for goods or services which they can then redeem once the coronavirus lockdown eases and life starts returning to normal.

Will you need a haircut? Would you like to enjoy a meal out at our favourite restaurant or cafe? Are you wanting to pay in advance for your first pint of beer or glass of wine or gin at your favourite pub or bar?

And if you have family you have not seen for a while – why not treat them to a Pay It Forward voucher?

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Southport BID is teaming up with Crowdfunder for its new Pay it Forward campaign to help provide Southport businesses a platform to gather funds from customers, for goods and services to be used once the business is back open.

Southport BID Chair Susannah Porter said: “This is a good way of supporting our local businesses and building some trade for when they all re-open.

“They are talking about a traffic light system of re-opening 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.

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“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 across the UK due to Covid-19, Crowdfunder and Enterprise Nation will provide the tech and tools to enable small businesses to pre-sell their services now on a promise to their customers that they can redeem them later.

To support the small business in Southport, the Pay it Forward campaign will provide access to free training for small businesses, to help with online sales, cashflow support and legal support, delivered by Enterprise Nation and supported locally by Southport BID.

As Covid-19 spreads across the country, everyone will spend more time indoors further reducing vital income for small businesses. This is a challenge as these businesses need a regular flow of cash to pay rent or salaries, for example.

Small businesses who may be worried about the future due to Covid-19, can set-up a Pay it Forward campaign  at Crowdfunder.co.uk/pay-it-forward.

It offers customers the option to book meals, a room for the night or a ticket to an event for example, now, based on a promise to deliver in the future. Crowdfunder will cover all platform and transaction fees.

Crowdfunder Founder and CEO Rob Love said: “This is a really difficult time for everyone and there are lots of different things people are worried about including their jobs. One thing people can do if they can afford it, is support local businesses.

“Through Pay it Forward, we are committed to throwing Crowdfunder’s resources behind keeping business alive through this crisis.”