A community campaigner has called on Sefton Council to produce a new guide containing vital information to help Southport’s businesses to survive and thrive.

Community Campaigner David Barton said more needed to be done to support local companies and traders and also urged the council to set up a section of its website to showcase and promote them.

He said reducing business rents until businesses have had sufficient time to become established, or better usage of Council-owned land such as the Municipal Gardens to enhance business opportunities should also be considered.

Mr Barton, who represented Dukes Ward on Sefton Council between 2014-2018, raised the issue earlier this year at a meeting of the full council and said action was needed to assist the businesses being attracted into town by restoration work in and around Lord Street.

He said: “I feel that as much support and guidance as possible should be provided to both current and prospective businesses, especially those that wouldn’t necessarily use online services.

“A hard copy booklet or guide may also provide further additional advertising through being displayed in shop lounges, especially those with a waiting area such as hair salons or shopping outlets.”

Mr Barton said a hard copy guide should include all basic and advanced business guidance, including how to create a sound business plan, managing and maintaining a competing business in difficult economic conditions and how to produce a marketing plan incorporating both traditional style methods and the digital media.

He said it could be purchased if necessary by aspiring entrepreneurs and professionals alike seeking to invest in and across Sefton.

He added: “Sefton Council should also produce a compendium section on its main website of all listed businesses across the borough, which may be updated through regular dialogue and consultation with business owners, in particular those local enterprises providing a distinctive service unparalleled across the United Kingdom, such as Specialist Restoration and Reproduction of period style architecture.

“Whilst I appreciate fully that some of these principles may require further time and agreement from the Local Authority, the Council does need to make things as simple as possible for everyone who is either presently or potentially seeking to invest in the local area as there are still many prime sites available to set up a business and in turn build up an established high street name.

“Whilst information may already be provided online, in many instances being able to peruse an actual piece of literature can be especially helpful especially when viewing charts and tables which may be of assistance when planning a long- term business plan and casting any forecast projections on a particular model that will be feasible in the long- term.

“Having consulted a large number of residents already, many distinct niche services would be especially helped by such a venture as this would not only attract new custom, but provide more guaranteed revenue during difficult trading seasons if a particular service such as specialised stained glass restoration was made more widely known to the general public.

“It is my hope that more distinct niche gift shops and services which Southport was once internationally renowned for, return to Southport, but in order to achieve this ambitious goal, as much help and support must be extended to those in both the public and private sectors.”

Community campaigner calls for FREE on-street parking to rejuvenate Southport town centre

A community campaigner has called for a review of Southport’s on-street parking charges in a bid to boost the town as a retail and tourism destination.

During his four years as a councillor on Sefton Council, David Barton negotiated a series of improvements to car parking facilities, including the removal of restrictions in some areas and the clearer marking of existing restrictions in others.  

He has now called for free car parking wherever possible both in the town centre and residential areas, subsidised by the local authority.

He said that the policy to introduce on-street charges in the 1990s was short-sighted and aimed at making money out of motorists, with the costs of installed signs and machines at the time approaching £750,000.

He said the signage also had a negative effect on the appearance of the town, especially on Conservation Areas.

Tariffs originally ranged from 30p/50p to £1.00 but over the years they have risen to £1.50 for up to an hour and £5 for up to four hours.

The decision was taken by the joint Labour/LibDem controlled council, with Conservatives opposed to the idea, predicting it would be damaging to business.

Mr Barton, who lives in Dukes Ward, said the introduction of on street car parking charges in town centre was based on schemes in Eastbourne and Birmingham as an income opportunity for the Council.

He said: “Following previous requests for clearer line markings to prevent residents, especially contractors and businesses, being wrongly penalised I am grateful that this has been achieved at various locations, such as Lord Street, the Promenade and Mornington Road.

“But we now need to go another step further and give people a greaterincentive to visit the town centre.

“Parking charges were introduced for no other reason than to make money for Sefton Council, but a vibrant town centre would do so much to bring much-needed revenue into the local economy.

“Those parties such as the LibDems, who shout about how much they care about Southport’s businesses and shops should look back in history to see that their support for parking charges did so much to send the town centre into a downward spiral.”