WARRINGTON’S businesses are preparing to reopen following the disruption caused by the coronavirus crisis as attention shifts to the town’s economic recovery.

Outdoor markets and car showrooms were permitted to reopen from Monday this week, as long as they are able to meet the Covid-19 guidelines to protect shoppers and workers.

All other non-essential retailers – including shops selling clothes, shoes, toys, furniture, books, electronics, photography studios and indoor markets – will be able to do so from June 15.

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And the Warrington Guardian, which is part of Newsquest Media Group, plans to play a critical role in helping to revive the borough’s economy.

Over the coming weeks we will be continuing to highlight firms that have introduced innovative measures in order to adapt to the crisis, while publicising vital safety and reassurance messages to encourage people to return to shops.

Warrington Borough Council and its economic development and regeneration arm, Warrington and Co, are supporting our Back Our Businesses campaign.

Steve Park, the council’s director of growth, said: “I fully support the Back Our Businesses campaign, it is a great way of supporting our business community and encouraging people to shop local.

Warrington Guardian:

Steve Park, the council's director of growth

“By working together and supporting each other we can make great strides in the recovery from the impact of Covid-19 and build a brighter future for our businesses.”

Mr Park believes businesses across Warrington are both eager and cautious in their approach to adopting a new way of working as lockdown restrictions continue to ease.

He added: “The key challenge facing all businesses is ensuring both staff and customers are confident when using premises. Warrington’s economy has successfully weathered several economic storms in recent decades, though this most recent Covid-19 pandemic crisis is by far the most severe.

“However, there is no reason to believe that historic levels of economic resilience won’t continue as businesses gradually recover.

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington town centre

“It’s too early to make any accurate economic forecasts mainly because a large part of the Warrington economy is benefiting from the job retention scheme that allows staff to be furloughed with 80 per cent of their wages paid by government.

“This is to be reduced in a tapered way between now and October and it will be at that point that the resilience of the economy can be more accurately assessed.”

Office fit-out and workplace refurbishment company Arterior Solutions is among the businesses that have faced major disruption.

The Burtonwood company continued to work at the start of the lockdown as staff were designated as key workers but, soon after, it halted most of its operations.

However, it has now fully reopened after the restrictions imposed by the Government were eased.

Managing director Sean Artess said: “I didn’t think it would be fair to burden the NHS more and put my staff on site at risk.

“So we took the decision to furlough the lads on site but kept the office staff operational, they worked from home.

“When wholesalers started to open up, we decided to open up and return back to site, adhering to Government guidelines on social distancing and personal protective equipment.

Warrington Guardian:

Arterior Solutions has ensured workers have been provided with PPE

“We were itching to get back to normal but you have to put the health and safety, and the welfare of your staff, first.

“You have to plan and structure things and it is a lot more laborious now – your programme of works, your risk assessments, your logistics of how you are going to do the job is totally different.

“Without the staff there is no business and they are putting themselves out there.”

Locksmiths Security Centres (Warrington) Ltd is preparing to return to its town centre shop, on Bridge Street.

Although the store has been closed, the firm has been allowed to go out to work for emergencies.

But its team of three has been reduced to one during the lockdown, with staff supported by the Government’s furlough scheme.

However, director Daniel Hesketh says the company, which launched in 1978, is apprehensive about what the future holds.

Warrington Guardian:

Security Centres (Warrington) Ltd director Daniel Hesketh

He said: “We have been on standby for emergencies but the shop premises has not been allowed to open yet because it is deemed non-essential, we can’t open until June 15.

“We are hoping the new market is going to help with footfall.

“At the moment, town centre footfall is absolutely shocking.

“I think it is a nationwide thing, not just in Warrington.

“We are going to see how the business redevelops over the next month or so.”

Sports coaching company Striker Academy Soccer Schools has also faced a worrying period as it was forced to halt its usual operations due to the pandemic.

The business usually operates in Bewsey Gym, as well as sites in Appleton and Great Sankey.

It is hoping to bring back its one to one coaching for youngsters in the coming days.

Founder and head coach Imtiaz Jamil said: “Obviously, with the lockdown everyone has been indoors and nobody has been coming out to train.

Warrington Guardian:

Imtiaz Jamil, Striker Academy Soccer Schools' founder and head coach

“We had to quickly think about what we were going to do.

“Everything just fell off the end of a cliff basically, it has been quite daunting.

“We soon realised this was going to be very serious.”

But the firm wanted to do all it could to keep kids engaged and active during the pandemic and started holding free online classes through Zoom.

Mr Jamil added: “Once we got to grips with that it became a bit more straightforward. Our business, unfortunately, depends on other avenues allowing us to do what we do.

“A lot of what we do hinges on other people. It is going to be slow, I am preparing myself for it to be very slow.

“Obviously, like the majority of businesses out there, we depend on other people working for us to be paid.

“At the end of the day, if parents are not working or are on very minimal incomes, is football training going to be a priority?

“I know, certainly for the mental and physical wellbeing of the kids that it is, but obviously finances and food on the table will take priority over that.”

‘It’s an incredibly uncertain time for businesses’

Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols says she is hopeful that most businesses in the town will be able to recover from the coronavirus crisis.

Warrington Guardian:

MP Charlotte Nichols

Many companies have faced unprecedented disruption and a huge financial hit due to the pandemic.

Labour’s Ms Nichols said: “It’s an incredibly uncertain time for businesses, both in terms of the disruption that the pandemic has caused and the lack of clarity on how long it will be before normal service can resume, or how long Government support will be available.

“Many businesses run to very tight margins in normal trading conditions and may find that their previous business model is no longer sustainable in the short to medium term.”

Ms Nichols also hailed some of the efforts taking place.

“We have already seen some great innovating happening locally, with many businesses expanding their online offering, for example, or delivering their services in a different way,” she said.

“There are some businesses who will find it particularly challenging in the social distancing landscape, particularly in hospitality, the leisure and tourism industry and the creative sectors which will be among the last to open as normal.

“I am working with Labour colleagues and cross-party through the business, energy and industrial strategy select committee to make the case for extra stabilisation funding and support for these sectors to protect businesses and jobs.

“But I am hopeful that most here will be able to recover – it’s really important that we all try and do our bit by supporting local businesses and shopping local where we can to help this.”

‘Small independent shops are lifeblood of villages and town centre’

Warrington is set to receive almost £186,000 to help reopen its high street in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

Local authorities in the north west are to share £6.5 million to help them introduce a range of safety measures in a move aimed at getting people back to work and customers back to the shops.

Warrington Borough Council will secure £185,805 as part of the Government’s high streets fund to assist shops in reopening, along with helping firms market their products and services.

Warrington South Tory MP Andy Carter said: “Our small independent shops are the lifeblood of villages and the town centre.

Warrington Guardian:

MP Andy Carter

“We slowly but surely need to safely release people and allow them to go shopping again to boost local economies.

“Shops like supermarkets and pharmacies have provided a vital service throughout the pandemic.

“But I also want to congratulate the many independent stores who’ve adapted, increased home delivery and responded to customer needs.

“We now need to build on this and by reopening non-essential retail, this is the next step towards restoring people’s livelihoods, restarting Warrington’s economy and ensuring vital public services like the NHS continue to be funded.

“The last 10 weeks have seen many shift to online shopping, for many though one-to-one services provided by local, experienced retailers can never replace the online experience and I hope everyone gets behind our local retailers to support them and the jobs they create.”

‘It appears likely that many jobs will be lost’

A ‘new localism’ has emerged from the coronavirus pandemic, says the town’s Liberal Democrat leader.

Cllr Bob Barr believes Warrington’s businesses have responded positively to the challenge of Covid-19.

Warrington Guardian:

Cllr Bob Barr

“However, they have been cushioned by central Government funding which is now going to be withdrawn,” he said.

“Business owners, particularly in the hospitality sector, are concerned about the viability of their businesses if forced to maintain social distancing.

“What has emerged is a new localism, with many residents taking advantage of more local shops, carry-out services, the market’s click and collect service and farm shops delivering.

“It is likely that many of these changes, which have reduced car dependence, improved air quality and encouraged people to walk or cycle, will stick.”

Cllr Barr also believes Warrington is well placed to adjust to the ‘new normal’ but only if residents and businesses embrace change.

“Nationally and locally it appears likely that many jobs will be lost,” he added.

“We hope that the Government and the local authority will step in by creating ‘green’ jobs.

“Programmes such as the 1980’s Youth Opportunity Scheme will probably be revisited, now that we know that a national emergency allows austere borrowing limits to be relaxed in order to keep the economy going.”

‘A strong economy is essential for local employment’

Companies are adapting to a new way of life as they get to grips with social distancing.

ICC Solutions has been based at St James Business Centre for more than 23 years.

Founded by David and Wendy Maisey, the company provides innovative payment testing solutions and has been recognised for outstanding contribution to international trade and innovation with four Queen’s Awards.

They were both recipients of OBEs in the 2020 New Year Honours list for their services to international trade and the UK economy.

Warrington Guardian:

ICC Solutions founders David and Wendy Maisey

Ms Maisey said: “Due to the nature of being an IT company, we’re very fortunate that the majority of staff have been able to work from home.

“Certain departments have faced more challenges, such as our client order fulfilment department.

“It’s been fairly disruptive for their home lives to have stock, printers and other equipment at home and couriers calling a couple of times a day collecting packages.”

Ms Maisey, chair of Warrington Conservatives, also highlighted coronavirus shrinking the UK’s gross domestic product.

But she says ‘we must all play our part’ in turning it around so Warrington can continue to prosper.

She said: “A strong economy is essential for local employment and businesses of all sizes need to thrive again to try to recoup some of the losses they have faced from March to date.

“Some sectors have been hit harder than others. One positive is that I think people will shop more local and reward the small businesses that they’ve relied on throughout the crisis.”

ICC Solutions started with a soft opening last week, with one department operating at 25 per cent capacity.

Ms Maisey added: “The management team has worked over the past two weeks to ensure the office is ‘social distance’ ready and we’re fortunate that we have plenty of space and communal areas which have also been adapted to facilitate this.”