Morecambe business owners have raised issues that affect them during a breakfast meeting with the MP.
Morecambe BID brought together local business representatives for talks with Lizzi Collinge, MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, giving them a direct opportunity to speak to her about costs, workforce pressures, anti-social behaviour and the future growth of the town.
Rising costs were a central theme, with attendees pointing to increases in energy bills, National Insurance, minimum wage and business rates as having a direct impact on staffing and investment decisions.
Businesses also raised concerns that current VAT registration thresholds are discouraging growth, with some limiting trading activity to avoid crossing the threshold.
Hospitality businesses highlighted the particular impact of business rates, food price inflation and additional costs such as television licensing and royalties for hotel rooms, while care sector representatives raised the need for social care to be recognised as a long-term career path, alongside concerns about Continuing Healthcare funding and rising employer costs.
Attendees also discussed the importance of events in driving footfall and visitor spending, concerns about reduced event activity in recent years, and the need for continued investment to bring people into the town.
Community safety and anti-social behaviour were raised as ongoing concerns for businesses and their customers, along with traffic and road safety issues in specific parts of the town centre.
Following the discussion, Ms Collinge agreed a number of follow-up actions, including preparing a briefing for HM Treasury on the concerns raised, exploring VAT-related support schemes for hospitality businesses, convening a dedicated roundtable on social care, and raising traffic enforcement issues on Queen Street and Pedder Street with the relevant authorities.
"I was pleased to spend time with business owners from across Morecambe," said Ms Collinge.
"These meetings are really important to me, as it allows me to hear first-hand what's affecting local businesses.
"As your local MP I’ll be taking up the concerns raised during the meeting directly with the Treasury and other relevant ministers. I will also be following up on the practical issues including traffic enforcement.
“We all want to see Morecambe thrive, and I am pleased to be able to work with local businesses in achieving this."
John O'Neill, Morecambe BID manager, said: "Feedback from this session shows just how much cost pressure businesses across Morecambe are under right now.
"It's good to have those concerns going straight to Westminster, and we'll keep pushing to make sure Morecambe's voice is heard."
Morecambe BID plans to hold further sessions of this kind, with attendance rotated across different business owners in the BID zone in the town centre, so that a wider range of voices have the chance to take part over time.
Morecambe BID is a not-for-profit Business Improvement District company, led by a volunteer board of local people and funded by local businesses to invest directly back into the town.
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