YESTERDAY remained a holiday for many people across Merseyside as the downturn in the economy and cold weather saw many businesses remain closed.

Despite being the first day back after the New Year break, the M62 and M57 were deserted during rush hour on the day declared “stay-at-home Friday”.

Record numbers of workers across the region were expected to skip work or call in sick.

Business leaders said the impromptu holiday was caused by the day falling on a Friday, the slowing of the economy and the freezing temperatures.

Liverpool’s Chamber of Commerce said many businesses had chosen to stay closed until Monday.

Jack Stopforth, chief executive of the chamber, said: “Businesses have had to look at issues of morale and whether it was worth bringing people in for the day relative to what they would make as a business.

“Emergency services and some businesses had to open but others chose to be responsible and operate with a skeleton staff or allow people to work from home.

“Having said that, there is no excuse for employees breaking their contracts and throwing a ‘sicky’.”

Nationally, yesterday was expected to cost the economy £250m, with unauthorised absences costing the UK around £13bn every year.

Norman Lay, chair of Merseyside, West Cheshire & Wigan Region Federation of Small Businesses, said many small businesses had opted to remain closed.

“Each business has to weigh up the costs of lighting, power etc for their business on a day which might not be very profitable,” he said.