Paul Cherpeau, chief executive of Liverpool Chamber, said:
“This latest support package from the Chancellor will provide an enormously welcome relief for businesses in leisure and hospitality, which have seen a potentially disastrous decline in custom over the past few weeks.
“We are pleased that the government has heard our calls for additional grant funding for businesses in those sectors and we would also urge them to extend support to operators in the live events supply chain, which have also suffered significantly during December.
“Greater flexibility on tax payments means businesses can have some breathing space and the measures around sick pay will give operators greater confidence to keep going if and when key members of their team test positive for the virus.
“It is important now that this support reaches affected businesses as swiftly and efficiently as possible in order to minimise the severity of the damage they are experiencing and ensure the impact does not become terminal.”