May 14 coronavirus update for businesses

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Burnley business launches social distancing kit

Scott Dawson Advertising has produced a kit to help organisations maintain social distancing rules. Featuring brightly posters, window stickers, floor graphics, pull-up banners and 'sneeze guards', it has been designed to help retailers and businesses operate safely during the pandemic lockdown.

Zahida Shamim, account director, said: "With the country getting back to work, business need to be prepared for new working arrangements. Simply keeping your distance is enough to save lives and protect the NHS, and with these Covid-19 protection kits, that's what trying to achieve.

"We have had a massive uplift in supply of these kits both locally and nationally with larger companies wanting bespoke items which we can do all in-house."

Prefix secures interruption loan

Constructed roof specialist has secured a seven-figure loan from Barclays via the government-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. 

Manufacturing across four sites, with the head office in Blackburn, the company produces of off-site constructed home extension and glazing solutions such as glazed roofs, tiled roof solutions, skylights and lanterns, and aluminium windows and doors. However, with the effective shut down of the industry, many of the clients that they serve were not been able to continue with planned projects, presenting significant cash flow challenges on the business until normal trading resumes.

Chris Cooke, director of Prefix Systems, said: "We had to suspend trading as the health and safety of our employees is our number one priority. Our contingency plans factored into account the immediate furloughing of a small group of staff, although strong continuous employment still remains vital to handle existing orders and new orders still coming in.

"The second part of our plan involved applying for a ‘Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan’ with Barclays, again guaranteeing liquidity and maintain a platform to ensure the business can prepare with confidence for a return to trading, whatever that looks like. It also means maintaining payments to our 200+ suppliers keeping the supply chain moving which is crucial, and retaining our highly skilled workforce of over 120 people."

Blackpool Air Show cancelled

Blackpool Council has chosen to cancel its annual summer air show, which can draw in as many as 100,000 visitors over the August bank holiday weekend. The free event has already been scheduled for the weekend of August 7 and 8 in 2021.

Cllr Gillian Campbell, cabinet member for tourism and culture for Blackpool Council, said: “It is with a heavy heart that we are cancelling one of Blackpool’s biggest and most popular events. It is now clear that the logistical implications of staging an event of this size under the current restrictions, a number of which are likely to remain in place for some time, mean that it cannot go ahead this summer."