THE TREASURY is being urged to put long-term support in place for businesses who are “running on empty” while the third lockdown has been extended into March.

Jo Lappin, chief executive of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership told the News & Star: “Whatever the challenge is, what we’ve found with businesses in Cumbria is they try to stay as resilient as possible.”

But businesses are facing significant challenges as a result of Covid-19 restrictions.

Jo said: “One of the issues businesses have raised to us is the wellbeing of their staff.”

And of businesses surveyed by Cumbria LEP recently, only 10 percent said that they were not adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The hope is that when we come out of this third lockdown, we see that bounce back," she said.

"Businesses have been running on empty for a long time.”

She added that many saw support for the economy as separate to public health but stressed: “The reality is that they’re symbiotic.

"Good quality employment is absolutely fundamental to health and wellbeing.

“What businesses want to see is some clarity on what the exit strategy is and what support they can rely on.

"The main thing that we’re asking (Government) for is some longer term economic support.

“Can we have some sources of longer term support for businesses?”

Jo welcomed Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s previous efforts to support businesses through the financial hardship.

“That’s not in any way to understate the support package that’s been made," she said. Mr Sunak announced a £4.6bn support package one day after the third coronavirus lockdown was announced.

“This is huge, but clearly what we’ve got to do is make sure we get our economy going again.”

In a statement pledging the Government support, Mr Sunak said: “This will help businesses to get through the months ahead – and crucially it will help sustain jobs, so workers can be ready to return when they are able to reopen."