The aim of the grants are to support businesses in the hospitality sector ie pubs, hotels, restaurants, bars, cinema's who may be adversely affected by the latest Covid-19 variant, Omicron, The impact could be quite substantial at what is often seen as their busiest time of the year with the dual impact of staff absences and lower demand from the consumer.
The grants that are on offer in England are:
A targeted grant available to the hospitality and leisure sector
A government top-up to the "Additional Restrictions Grant Fund". This is for local authorities to use at their discretion in order to support businesses that are struggling but not within the above sectors
More funding will be provided to the "Culture Recovery Fund" supporting organisations such as theatres, orchestra's and museums through to March 2022.
So who is eligible for the targeted grant?
Businesses based in England
The business has to be solvent and must be ratepayers in the hospitality and leisure sector.
...and what is the amount of the targeted grant?
Grants are per premises and the amount paid is variable based on the rateable value of each eligible premise as follows:
£2,700 for businesses with a rateable value of £15,000 or under
£4,000 for businesses with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000.
£6,000 for businesses with a rateable value of over £51,000.
All applications will be through your local authority although dates have not been released yet.
With yet more uncertainty having being caused by the new Omicron Covid variant it is good to see some action being taken by the Government to help those businesses affected by it in the hospitality sector. However, is it enough to prevent many businesses calling in The Receivers?
