Statistics recently released by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in conjunction with the Institute of Commercial Management (ICM) show the full impact that the recent spate of snowy weather has had on small businesses.

According to the survey, one in seven staff in small firms was unable to get to work on at least one occasion in the bad weather. This was despite the fact that just over half of the small businesses surveyed said that they were prepared for bad weather situations.

Four in ten of small businesses indicated that snow-covered roads caused a disruption of business services and goods delivery, while three in ten experienced a loss of growth and demand. A further 18% could not access their business premises, and 11% had to close completely.

Many businesses brought in special measures so that they could continue to function: 42% instituted policies for remote working, while 30% offered employees flexible working hours and 17% bought their own stocks of grit and salt.

The FSB wants to address this issue of business disruption due to increasingly erratic weather conditions, and is pushing for a national civil contingencies conference which will involve councils, regional development agencies, emergency services, school representatives and key business and Government figures, and will find new ways to keep Britain from grinding to a halt in bad weather.

The organisation also recommends:

• Mandatory Government guidance for local authorities including salt level recommendations.
• The Department for Children, Schools and Families, the National Association of Head Teachers and the Association of the Directors of Children’s Services should work together to create clearer guidance on when schools should be closed, and how to prevent closing them whenever possible.
• The Government’s Civil Contingency Secretariat should make greater efforts to promote and advise on business continuity planning.

The National Chairman of the FSB John Wright commented: “The FSB believes that local authorities have not learnt from last year’s bad weather quickly enough, and we are calling for a national civil contingencies conference, bringing together all the relevant parties, to prevent the UK from coming to a complete standstill and find ways to keep Britain moving.”

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