Donation store supports struggling small businesses

Wednesday 25 March 2020

An online store accepting donations for local business owners forced to shut up shop has been launched, as pressure grows on the government to do more for self-employed entrepreneurs.

The Jersey ‘Support Store’ allows islanders to make an online donation to local shops, salons, café, restaurants and gyms who might be struggling to pay their staff and overheads whilst they can’t trade due to the virus.

Cataloguing a whole range of independent local businesses hit by the current social distancing advice – which is to cut out all unnecessary contact and stay at a two metre distance from anyone who you don’t live with – the store invites local islanders to “help ease that burden” faced by many business owners. 

For example, in recent social distancing advice, the Government has advised islanders to postpone their hairdressing appointments - forcing many salons to close as a result.

It’s hoped that the online donations will ensure that these small organisations will still be standing after the outbreak.

On the store’s website, it lays out its mission statement: “There are many of us out of work and scrambling to see what support is out there to help us pay our bills/mortgages etc. but for business owners, they also have to pay their staff, commercial rent, rates and utilities with no income. This is a small way to help ease that burden and ensure our amazing local businesses are still standing and ready to welcome us back once covid-19 is done with us.” 

So far, the Government have announced a package of support for Jersey businesses which could be worth up to £180million – but £130million of this consists of loan guarantees and deferrals of social security and GST payments which will be due at a later date – but there has been no specific support announced in relation to small businesses.

Employers have also been told that they can apply for Government-given £200 per employee per week and commercial landlords have been advised by Government not to chase rents during this period.

When the measures were first launched by Economic Development Minister Senator Lyndon Farnham, he said that the Emergencies Council was also considering a small business emergency fund to provide additional support to the self-employed – but no further detail on this has yet emerged. 

Pictured: Minister for Economic Development, Sport and Culture Senator Lyndon Farnham.

It comes as an online petition demanding “emergency support for self-employed businesses” affected by the current health crisis has racked up thousands of signatures.

The instigator of the petition, William Grant, states: “The Government so far offer only GST and Social payment deferral, which doesn't help. They need to look at including rent deferrals / mortgage holidays, higher statutory sick pay, otherwise many local businesses that deal with the public like trades and shops will have no choice but to close up. 

“In previous live debates the Government have only included the employees and employers in their discussions with no mention of small self-employed businesses which are the backbone of island life. 

“They need to support local shops, trades and other small businesses more or end up losing a large portion of small independent businesses, many will not survive and will end with many losing more than a business, it will be their livelihoods possibly their homes." 

So far, the petition has gained over 5,600 signatures, which means that the issue will warrant a Ministerial response and will have to be considered for debate by the States Assembly.