Small businesses in Sydney’s northern beaches fear they’ll be left defenceless in 2021 as lockdown restrictions batter their bottom line.

While the south may be able to resume normal trading after January 2, businesses in the northern ‘red zone’ won’t know their fate until restrictions are reassessed on January 9.

Emergency commercial tenancy regulations and the insolvent trading moratorium expire at the end of the year, putting further pressure on owners.

Northern beaches-based public relations strategist Lisa Llewellyn told John Stanley government intervention is urgently needed.

“There are so many people that are just hanging on; they are on the brink.

“We have so many businesses that would be trading while insolvent, or close to, but at the moment they just cannot afford to pay their way.

“It’s not just the financial distress, it’s also the mental anguish of watching your business slip away.”

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