It's now less than a month to go until Brexit, with the 海角视频 seemingly no closer to agreeing a deal with the European Union over the terms of departure than it was when voting to leave in June 2016.
While some businesses from across the North West see Brexit as an opportunity, there are firms undoubtedly worried about what it will mean for their books.
Here, as part of BusinessLive's Brexit Month, we round up several prominent North West firms known to be concerned about the 海角视频's departure from the EU, and the consequences surrounding it.
Jaguar Land Rover
Jaguar Land Rover is one of those well known to be affected by ongoing Brexit uncertainty.
So much so that its chief executive announced after months of speculation that it would close its plants in the first week of November to “adjust production”.
Announcing its decision last week, a statement from the firm, which has plants in Halewood, Merseyside and another in Solihull, said: “Jaguar Land Rover confirms that it will be suspending production at all 海角视频 manufacturing plants for one week commencing 4 November 2019. This prudent decision reflects the need to adjust production in the face of ongoing uncertainty caused by global external headwinds, including Brexit, which have impacted our sales volumes.”
Dr Ralf Speth revealed the plan while formally opening the car maker’s new Advanced Product Creation Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire.
Asked whether the firm was thinking about shutting its British factories in the month after Brexit is due to take place on October 31, Mr Speth said: “We cannot think about it, we just have to do it.”
Hunt Associates
Most Read
Steven Hunt, of Liverpool mechanical engineering firm Steve A Hunt & Associates, said the industry is desperate to know the outcome of Brexit, be it leaving with a deal, no deal or revoking Article 50.
Likening the current Brexit uncertainty to a “slow death”, he said: “I wasn’t bothered whether we had a deal, stayed in, or whatever.
“All industry will adapt to whatever it is - we just need to know what it is.
“For me, the delay is like a slow death. we just need to know what we are doing so we can put things in action.
“Organisations are not getting the funding they need, because the treasurer is keeping funding for projects as a warchest. I don’t know what the outcome will be - but even if it’s a no deal, I just want to know what it will be so we can carry on.”
Want more business news straight to your inbox?
BusinessLive is your home for business news from around the country - and you can stay in touch with all the latest news through our email alerts.
You can sign up to receive morning news bulletins from every region we cover and to weekly email bulletins covering key economic sectors from manufacturing to technology and enterprise. And we'll send out breaking news alerts for any stories we think you can't miss.
Visit our email preference centre to sign up to all the latest news from BusinessLive.
Liverpool and Sefton Chambers of Commerce
Paul Cherpeau, chief executive of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, is another city business figure to have raised concerns surrounding the uncertainty.
Don’t miss
He said June’s Quarterly Economic Survey, revealed that Brexit uncertainty was stalling the economy amid a manufacturing slowdown and skills shortages.
He said: “The Q2 set of results clearly show the pressure being felt by our member businesses. Not only is Brexit uncertainty affecting confidence, both at home and abroad, but our region is also struggling to find the workforce resource that will boost productivity and profit in the long-term. It is vital that the Government puts in place robust plans that will unlock our trading future and the talent pipeline for businesses.”
John Lennon Airport
Liverpool John Lennon Airport earlier this year called for a stop to Brexit uncertainty after an airline blamed flights getting cancelled at short notice on the political impasse.
A spokesman for JLA said opportunities and lucrative deals had been "put on hold" due to Brexit and that, whatever happens next, "we just want to know what the plan is".
It came after Romanian firm Blue Air stopped some of its flights from the airport to Rome and Milan, with the decision said to be "because of Brexit".
JLA told BusinessLive: "It's the uncertainty which has been the issue. We've been talking to airlines across Europe, trying to grow the business.
"We will see growth this year but there are opportunities we know have been put on hold. Airlines have said that to us. That's our frustration."
Liverpool City Region Business News
Webinar Vet
One of the leading voices in veterinary education said Brexit is already driving European vets away from the 海角视频 - creating a “big problem” for the industry.
Anthony Chadwick, founder and CEO of The Webinar Vet, the largest online veterinary education provider in the world, said Brexit has given the industry a “real manpower problem” - and that he has heard grim anecdotes of European interns’ experiences during training here.
Anthony, who is from Liverpool, said: “What’s happened is a lot of the European vets don’t feel as welcome so they are not coming as much as they used to."
Pets at Home
In January, Cheshire-headquartered Pets at Home, announced in a trading update it had started stockpiling pet food, predicting it could spend up to £8m to prepare for a no-deal scenario.
In its full-year results, reported on May 22, Pets at Home revealed a £7.3m increase in inventory, £4m of which was due to a deliberate stockpiling in response to Brexit uncertainty.
Its chief financial officer Mark Iddon also raised concerns about its workforce.
He said: “A significant number of colleagues, particularly within our Vet Group and distribution centres, are non-海角视频 EU nationals.
“Brexit may result in changes to 海角视频 immigration policy which increases the risk around the availability, recruitment and retention of these individuals.”
AO World
Bolton-based electricals retailer AO World echoed similar concerns.
AO World revealed in April it had stockpiled £15m of fast-moving goods to prepare for a possible no deal, as it predicted underlying earnings for the full-year would come in at the lower end of market expectations.
In addition, Wilmslow-based manufacturer Norcross, which operates seven brands including Johnson Tiles, Triton and Merlyn, said Brexit remained a concern for the group.
Alongside its financial results in June, the group said “the high level of uncertainty of both the financial and political implications of Brexit make the success of mitigation activities difficult to predict”.