Businesses in Bournemouth fear that spiralling energy costs will affect them more than Covid, with many having to close.

Bournemouth Coastal BID is backing the new national #BusinessSOS campaign that is impressing upon the government the risk to businesses.

#BusinessSOS believes mass closures and redundancies are inevitable unless the government implements measures that alleviate the critical pressures that businesses, like households, have been facing since April 2022.

Fiona McArthur from the Coastal BID, said: “While we welcome any assistance to business, there needs to be more.

“A large part of our role as a BID is to represent levy-payers and be their voice.

“We will continue to lobby and do whatever we can to ensure our businesses can survive and weather the storm.”