FEATURE COVID RESPONSE
Almost every small business was hit when lockdown was imposed back in March. Many responded by temporarily adjusting their operations to ensure they lived to fight another day. David Adams looks at how they did it
OVID-19 HAS CAST A shadow over the UK economy. According to FSB research, four in 10 small businesses suspended all operations in the first weeks of lockdown. Some have gone out of business; many have had to make staff redundant. Most have needed to use the support measures provided by central and local government. And most have had to change the way they work.
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Many bricks-and-mortar shops, restaurants, pubs, food and drink producers and other manufacturers have effectively become online retailers. FSB research shows that, in the first few weeks of the lockdown, 16 per cent of small businesses launched or enhanced their online presence (including 21 per cent of those that kept operating throughout lockdown). One in 10 started offering new services (including 15 per cent of
those that stayed open); and six per cent (10 per cent of those that stayed open) started selling new products. Many small businesses have made contributions to local communities, or started to produce equipment to help combat the crisis, underlining their importance to society. Lockdown has created thousands of stories about small businesses finding a way to keep moving forward, despite the crisis. Here are just a few.
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