BackinBusiness

The impact of the second lockdown hits Leicester businesses hard, the sports and leisure industry awaits news of opening and for all innovation is the name of the game.

As well as looking at the rules around the great reopening in England on the 4th July, and the various dates for the same opening up in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland the team talk to three mothers running their own businesses about the ups and downs of their juggling act over the past 3 months.Mother-led businesses are expected to be badly damaged by this crisis. The women in the discussion are well supported by their partners but are very concerned about the knock-on effect on the mental health of those mothers struggling to keep their businesses afloat while keeping the children safe.

As the non-essential shops get back to work the hairdressers and beauticians are on standby. The 4th of July is the expected date but there's no definite green light and no detailed instructions as yet on getting up close and personal with salon customers safely. Will Independence Day bring relief for the roots and freedom from the fringe?

Small, local convenience stores have played at big role in keeping us supplied with everything from toilet roll to tea bags over the last 3 months. Will we remain loyal as the high streets reopen?

The outdoor markets are open. Are the stalls and the customers out in force too? And what can the cafes and restaurants learn from the market traders about opening up safely?

The payments culture is changing. The Small Business Commissioner and his people are working hard to make businesses understand the impact of late payments. It isn’t just about cashflow but about survival, feeding the kids and paying the bills. Covid has made it harder for everyone.

Tony and Ben run small businesses and are in debt. They've borrowed through the government bounce back loans scheme. Will their businesses recover enough to make the repayments when the time comes? With hundreds of thousands of small businesses now in debt will loans ever be repaid, will the loans just delay businesses' demise and is there anything they can do to avoid disaster?

Two self-employed people discuss the impact of the lockdown on their businesses with the BackinBusiness team. Government loans and disappearing customers are all concern. We're also joined by Professor Hart whose research shows many self-employed are slipping through the safety net.

The team (Mickey Clark, Liz Barclay, Declan Curry and Simon McVicker) talk to the Shadow Chancellor, Anneliese Dodds, and business owner Jonathan Ratcliffe of offices.co.uk about the Government schemes to help small business, and steps needed to get out of Lockdown. Find out more about the Bounce Back Loan Scheme.

Has COVID-19 called last orders for the UK’s small hospitality industry?We look at updates on Corona virus-related Government finance schemes and concerns for the hospitality industry. We speak to a pub landlady and CEO of Forum of Private Business to get their takes.