Industries change. The movement of traditional businesses away from the high street to distant outlets and ultimately online is a notable example. Of course, these changes aren’t free. Finding support for any challenge, whether it’s upscaling, expanding into new markets, or fresh investment opportunities, can stretch the budget of even the most well-funded company.
So, where does support come from for businesses on the ‘up’ in Southport?
A “Powerhouse”
Take note. History is littered with companies that had the opportunity to grow into new eras but stayed stubborn. Kodak had no interest in digital cameras, for instance. Nokia joined the smartphone race too late, and Blockbuster decided it didn’t want to post DVDs to subscribers’ homes, losing out to an upstart – Netflix, which is still with us years later.
Famously brick-and-mortar concepts, like casinos, kept up by splitting themselves in half – half remained where it was, while the other half became digital. London’s Hippodrome Casino still lives on Cranbourn St in Leicester Square, London, but it provides slots, blackjack, and roulette online via a digital arm of the same name.
Of course, not every industry has the luxury of taking two routes to remain competitive, but areas in the northwest exist in what the Buy Association website calls a “powerhouse”. Referring to a report from FundingCircle, the site claims that nearly 33,000 businesses were set up in the Northwest in 2024, defeating Yorkshire and the Humber and the Northeast for the number of fresh starters.
A piece from Business Live came to a similar conclusion, that companies in the Northwest are beating growth targets.
“Growth Sectors”
A good place to start taking advantage of favourable business conditions is Innovate UK Business Connect, a resource group that tries to put “innovators” in touch with new partners. It offers several layers of support for businesses, including start-ups.
Businesses located within Sefton can get council support. InvestSefton is a free support service providing access to funding, as well as help with marketing, planning, and web design. Workshops, including the Sefton Huddle and Sefton Economic Forum, help companies network with collaborators.
Liverpool City Region is another place to look for help, via the GrowthPlatform website. Much like InvestSefton, it offers funding and guidance for businesses in the northwest. It’s particularly interested in firms from what it calls “growth sectors” – advanced manufacturing, creative industries, tourism (“visitor economy”) and health and life science.
Let’s talk about government support, just for the sake of completeness. Gov.uk pages are the first results on search engines for any business queries. The House of Commons Library has an extensive list of support links. Here, people can find help with debt, equity schemes, export and trade, and even leadership.
The business landscape is rarely static, but there’s plenty of support for companies approaching a new stage in the lifecycle of their business. Advice is often free – especially in cases like Citizens Advice and the government’s business portal – while loans and other funding might be available at low cost for companies seeking a bit of extra capital.