Small businesses in the Liverpool and Anfield area have explained the negative impact the Premier League’s decision to cancel this weekend’s matches will have on their businesses.
On Friday morning, a little over 24 hours in advance, the Premier League announced that all 10 games this weekend, including Liverpool vs Wolves, would be postponed “as a show of respect” for the Queen, who has passed away. Thursday.
Some fans have questioned the decision to cancel games at such short notice, pointing to the impact it has on hundreds of thousands of people who have spent money organizing travel and tickets during a financial crisis.
Small businesses will also be hit hard, as local businesses rely on the revenue they generate around a weekend’s sporting events.
One of the more prominent small businesses in the Anfield area is Homebaked, a not-for-profit community bakery that does much of its core business on match days.
We hope tomorrow’s match can go ahead, not out of greed for ourselves (we’re a community-owned bakery), but because of the countless positive impact Matchdays brings to our area, our people, and our local businesses.
It’s so much more than just 90 minutes of people kicking a ball… https://t.co/uHBTJQUhUa
— Homebaked Bakery (@HomebakedBakery) September 9, 2022
Before the Premier League announced their decision, Homebaked posted a tweet explaining why they didn’t want games postponed.
Following the news that Liverpool vs Wolves would not take place, Anfield’s local management released a statement expressing disappointment at the Premier League’s decision to cancel the last round of matches.
“We are very disappointed in the postponement of tomorrow’s game on such short notice, but respect that the decision was made in light of a very sensitive time for most people in the country,” read a statement from Homebaked. .
“As we have said before, the impact of the game being canceled at this late stage is much more than profit/loss for us, our staff and other local businesses, especially right now more than ever with the cost of living. crisis in which we find ourselves.
“Not only the above, but generous game day donations help underpin the great work that Fans Supporting Foodbanks is doing to try and curb the food poverty we have on our hands in our city.
“However, we emphasize again that we understand the decision was made with sympathy and respect and now we just hope that Tuesday’s game against Ajax can go ahead as planned.
“Homebaked Bakery will be open tomorrow from 8.30am as usual and our cafe in St George’s Hall will be open from 9am as usual too.
“If you are still going to be in the local area or downtown, make sure you stop by and buy a cake!
“Thank you.”
I hope they cancel football tomorrow, but that’s bad news for @TheFanzine1 because I have a box of unsold Fanzines here. I’m not being disrespectful, but I don’t see why they should cancel the sport, everyone else is going to go to work.
— The Fanzine Red All Over The Land (@TheFanzine1) September 9, 2022
Another local business expressing disappointment was Red All Over The Land, the last remaining Liverpool FC-related fanzine in print.
Copies sell for £2 around Anfield on match day, which won’t be possible this weekend.
Aside from football, several other sporting events are going ahead as planned, making the Premier League’s decision all the more puzzling.
It’s not just about the game being played on the field.
