Townsville Enterprise survey shows significant concern from local businesses
Local businesses are being encouraged to complete a survey on the lockdown’s impact on trade, with early results already anticipating it taking months to recover. LINK INSIDE:
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LOCAL businesses have been put under significant strain since Tuesday’s lockdown, with some anticipating the recovery from this week’s collapse in trade to take up to three months to recover from.
A Townsville Enterprise Limited survey of 60 businesses has so far found the three-day lockdown has already caused approximately $2.6m in financial impact.
The survey also found 83 per cent of businesses have seen cancellations beyond the lockdown period while 69.5 per cent have had to stand staff down, reduce hours or hand out redundancies.
“Businesses anticipate that from when lockdown is lifted it will take between one to three months before they start to recover,” A TEL spokeswoman said.
“If restrictions are in place around masks, borders etc this could be longer,” she said.
If the lockdown was to be extended, 27 per cent of businesses have said they would have to reduce staff, cease business or receive a wage subsudiy to be able to operate.
TEL said there had been significant concern about the city’s ability to recover, with limited resources available to activate large marketing campaigns like other regions.
A call for cash injections and financial support has been sought by the industry.
They cite a support package by Premier Gladys Berejiklian in New South Wales includes grants of between $5000 and $10,000 for small businesses, payroll tax deferrals for all employers, an extension of the Dine & Discover program to 31 August and the ability for people to use Dine & Discover vouchers for takeaway delivered directly to their home by the venue itself.
Local businesses are encouraged to complete the Townsville Enterprise survey.
The survey can be found HERE:
Originally published as Townsville Enterprise survey shows significant concern from local businesses
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