In summary
July is General Election month and FSB is standing up and speaking out on behalf of small businesses across Merseyside and Cheshire.
We have published our General Election Manifesto outlining what we want to see from the incoming government, with support on tax looming large.
In addition, we are assisting business owners with our fantastic member benefits, networking and support events – so read on to find out what FSB is doing to help YOUR business.
Featured news and events
FSB calls for tax relief from new government
In light of the 4 July General Election, FSB is calling on the incoming government to ease small business taxes as part pf a package of pro-growth, pro-business policies to stimulate the economy and encourage entrepreneurship. The call, in FSB’s General Election Manifesto, follows FSB’s recent Small Business Index which shows that a record number of North West small firms expect tax to be a barrier to growth over the coming year. While the overall confidence score rebounded to positive territory from the previous quarter, more than a quarter (26%) of small businesses in the North West identified tax as their main concern. This is the highest-ever score recorded for tax burden in the region since the SBI began in Q4 2014. For context, the next highest score for tax was 25% in Q3 2015 and the North West average during this time is 15%. The other main issues were cited as: conditions in the domestic economy (62%), consumer demand (33%) and labour costs (28%). In addition, FSB has criticised HMRC’s customer service levels following a National Audit Office (NAO) report showing almost half of all calls to HMRC go unanswered.
Read FSB’s full General Election Manifesto here>
FSB joins forces with BIPC Liverpool
FSB Merseyside and Cheshire and the Business and Intellectual Property Centre (BIPC) Liverpool came together to showcase local business support.
More than 100 attendees registered for the event, which took place on the top floor of BIPC’s home, the award-winning Liverpool Central Library.
Among the speakers were BIPC’s Geraldine Fuller and several small business owners from Liverpool City Region who shared their success stories.
In addition, Development Manager Phil McCabe spoke about FSB’s history, recent lobbying successes and asks of the incoming government while Membership Advisor Mark Bryan outlined member benefits and shared his own personal story of how being a business owner and FSB member inspired him to become an advocate himself.
Concluding proceedings was a panel session focusing on challenges and opportunities facing Liverpool City Region businesses featuring Tim Barnes, CEO of The Centre for Entrepreneurs; George Wright, Investment Manager at LCR Finance Hub; Michelle Walters, CEO and co-founder of Talk on to Walk on and Phil Adams, Chief Executive, Professional Liverpool.
Topics discussed by the panel included the best thing about doing business in Liverpool, what needs to be better to help businesses to start, survive and thrive and the state of business support provision.
St Helens to host FSB business support drop-in
FSB Development Manager Phil McCabe and Membership Advisor Mark Bryan will meet St Helens business owners and listen to their issues on Wednesday, 31 July.
An FSB Merseyside and Cheshire business support drop-in will take place at Ruskin Sports Village, Ruskin Drive, St. Helens, Merseyside, WA10 6RP from 10-12pm.
In addition to finding out what FSB can do to help businesses and owner-managers, peer-to-peer collaboration and the chance to have one-to-one meetings with FSB representatives, attendees will be able to network with each other.
Contact Mark for more information on the drop-in and the many benefits of FSB membership: [email protected] / 07941320890.
One of the unique benefits of joining the FSB is the local support we provide to our members through our team of dedicated staff and volunteers located in every region across the UK.
We regularly meet business owners and a range of stakeholders to ensure the voice of small businesses is represented. In addition, our local teams organise events, seminars and exhibitions to develop strong local networks.
For further details of the FSB Merseyside and Cheshire drop-in session in St Helens, and more information on all of FSB’s local events and activities.
Read our North West England page>
In other news
July’s networking roundup
Hot on the heels of our Cheshire Virtual Networking on Wednesday, 3 July is FSB’s Liverpool City Region Virtual Networking, which takes place on Tuesday, 9 July 2024 and is hosted by Membership Advisor Mark Bryan.
Liverpool City Region Business Connect with Mark takes place on Tuesday, 16 July at The Municipal Hotel, Dale Street, Liverpool, L2 2DH, now in collaboration with Andy O’Hare’s Relaxed Business Networking - with our Altrincham In-Person Networking with The Business Network on the same evening at Rasassi Restaurant, 21 The Downs, Altrincham WA14 2QD.
On Wednesday, 17 July Membership Advisor Darren Gallimore will host our Cheshire Virtual Networking and, later in the early evening, Membership Advisor Simon Hibbott will be at The Queen at Chester Hotel, 52 City Road, Chester CH1 3AH for our Chester In-Person Networking with The Business Network.
We’re teaming up again with Relaxed Business Networking at Prescot Cables Football Ground, Eaton Street, Prescot L34 6ND on Thursday, 18 July – and look out for other upcoming networking collaborations in Liverpool and on the Wirral.
Take time to breath for business success
Being able to hold your nerve is one of the best skills you can have in business.
However, nobody teaches us how to do it. We often have to go through many painful business experiences to learn but, even then, the problems can remain.
FSB member Joel Jelen spoke at FSB’s recent Business Connect Networking at the Municipal Hotel, Dale Street, Liverpool to help attendees appreciate how sleeping, eating, working, exercising and relaxing impact on confidence and business performance.
Last year Joel published his first book - 'Why Does Daddy Breathe Funny?' - which aims to educate children and their families about the benefits of better breathing.
In addition to his career in public relations and as a freelance writer, Joel launched Sniff, Sigh, Yawn and became breathing educator and proponent of the Buteyko method, a technique developed in the 1950s by Ukranian physiologist Konstantin Buteyko which uses a breathing protocol to boost health and performance.
Hosted by Membership Advisor Mark Bryan, FSB Business Connect Liverpool is held at the Municipal Hotel on the third Tuesday of each month.
Don’t miss out - come along and join us in July!
Natwest Accelerator
The NatWest Accelerator is now open in three hubs in the North, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle. It supports and empowers UK entrepreneurs and business owners to scale their businesses to the next level.
Through their six month fully funded Accelerator they wrap around support and
expertise, removing barriers to help businesses grow.
Still in the news
FSB at Royal Cheshire County Show
FSB Merseyside and Cheshire exhibited at the 186th Royal Cheshire County Show, one of the UK’s biggest agricultural shows.
More than 85,000 people visited the Tabley Showground near Knutsford during the two-day show, founded in 1838 by Stapleton Cotton, 1st Viscount Combermere and fellow Cheshire landowners, "To promote agriculture and encourage the industrious and moral habits of the labouring portion of the community."
Over the years, it has grown to include craft, food and drink stands and a huge range of stalls representing every walk of trade and industry, as well as a wide range of activities such as celebrity chefs, live jousting, a children’s fairground and more.
Competitions feature a range of animals across hundreds of classes. With more than 3500 horses taking part, it has the largest light horse section at any county show in the country.
This year, the evening entertainment included live music from acts such as Boyzlife, House Jammers and Babalola Jr.
FSB was prominent among the crowds, located in the Shoppers’ Mews marquee. Membership Advisor Darren Gallimore led the way in highlighting FSB’s support services and member benefits.
To learn more about FSB’s activities in Cheshire and Warrington, contact Darren on 07733445570 or [email protected].
LCR Talking Business Conference
Aintree Racecourse, the home of the Grand National, was the venue for the recent Talking Business Conference, organised by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
FSB representatives attended the conference, which was opened by LCR Chief Executive, Katherine Fairclough, and featured presentations from Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, David Meyerowitz, CEO of Haier Europe and chair of the city region’s Business and Enterprise Board, and Assistant Director of Evidence, Research and Intelligence Kate Downes, who spoke about improving economic competitiveness and productivity.
The event was punctuated by several ‘fireside chats’ – panel sessions facilitated by Ruth Hartnoll, Deputy Chair of the Business and Enterprise Board.
Attendees were given the latest insights into the city region’s economic performance and the Combined Authority’s strategic vision for inclusive growth and sustainability, and ambitions to build a ‘stronger, cleaner and fairer city region’ - with free rail travel to and from the venue offered from anywhere on the Merseyrail network.
In addition, delegates were able to indicate their priorities and preferences in online surveys carried out throughout proceedings.
Read about LCR Combined Authority’s plans for economic growth here>
More news and activity near you
- Lancashire and Cumbria
- Greater Manchester
- More from FSB North West
Get in touch
Your FSB Development Manager for Merseyside & Cheshire is Phil McCabe. If you'd like more information about the topics above, or if you have news about this area that you'd like to share, please get in touch.
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