Following the Government’s decision to place West Suffolk in Tier 2 COVID-19 restrictions, the Government has announced further grant programmes to support businesses that are financially impacted.
Businesses in the hospitality, accommodation and leisure sectors who are open but who are severely impacted by the Tier 2 restrictions on socialising, can apply for a grant under the Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) Open.
Meanwhile, pubs and bars who do not serve table meals and so haven’t been able to open under the Tier 2 restrictions, will be able to apply for grant support under the LRSG Closed (December 2020) with West Suffolk Council given an allocation of just over £30,000 to cover the first 14 days of the Tier 2 restrictions.
On top of these Tier 2 grants, the Government has also announced a one-off £1000 Christmas support payment for wet-led pubs. West Suffolk has been given an allocation of £90,000 to help these businesses.
The existing grant scheme for businesses that had to close during the November national restrictions remains open for applications – see Local Restrictions Support Grant Closed (November 2020).
Businesses can apply for more than one type of grant, meaning for instance, that a restaurant that was closed in November can apply for the LRSG Closed November grant and if they are severely impacted by Tier 2, they can also apply for the LRSG Open grant.
The funding allocation of just over £330,000 given to West Suffolk for the LRSG Open grant has been given based on the hospitality, hotel, bed and breakfasts and leisure businesses in the area and the Government advise that the expectation is the money may be used by businesses to cover their high fixed property costs. Again, this allocation is to cover the first 14 days of Tier 2 restrictions.
The Open Grant scheme will therefore be open to:
- The hospitality trade including restaurants, cafes and pubs serving substantial meals
- Hotels and bed and breakfast businesses including smaller B&Bs that pay Council Tax
- Leisure businesses
- Hospitality, accommodation, and leisure businesses in shared premises – this could apply to a café or restaurant which is in a property with a rateable value but which is not the ratepayer.
All of the LRSG grant schemes are subject to Government criteria and are being administered locally by West Suffolk Council.
Cllr John Griffiths, Leader of West Suffolk Council, said: “We are all working to reduce the infection rate and hope that it will soon be safe for West Suffolk to come out of Tier 2 into the Tier 1 allowing greater freedoms and trade. In the meantime, however, we, and the Government, recognise it’s not quite business as usual for many of those who have been able to open and that for example there are many great local pubs who aren’t able to serve a substantial meal and so have had to remain closed. These new grants are there to provide some help towards their business costs until things hopefully improve.”
For details on eligibility and how to apply see www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/c19business
West Suffolk Council has closed applications for the first phase of its Additional Restrictions Grant. Further phases will be announced in due course.