Businesses in the hospitality, leisure and accommodation sectors affected by the impact of the Omicron variant could be eligible for a share of just over £1.5m made available for distribution by South Kesteven District Council.
SKDC has been allocated £1,266,093 as part of the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme announced by the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, in December last year.
The grants available are:
- Businesses with a rateable value of £15,000 or less can apply for £2,667
- Businesses with a rateable value between £15,001 and £51,000 can apply for £4,000
- Businesses with a rateable value of £51,001 or more can apply for £6,000
To be eligible venues must offer in-person services, where the main service and activity takes place in fixed rate-paying premises.
This includes businesses whose main function is providing a venue for the consumption and sale of food and drink; providing facilities linked to recreation and entertainment; or businesses whose main premises are used for holiday accommodation.
In addition, there has been a further £253,940 top-up to the existing Additional Restrictions Grant fund for businesses ineligible for the new grant.
Other businesses impacted by Omicron, such as suppliers to the hospitality and leisure sectors, can email an expression of interest to [email protected] for this scheme, which will open shortly.
Other businesses in these sectors that are not business-rated can also email an expression of interest in the scheme.
The Leader of SKDC and Chairman of InvestSK, Cllr Kelham Cooke, said: “Through the work of the team at InvestSK, SKDC has been helping to navigate our local businesses through the pandemic, including distributing support grants to those most heavily impacted by the virus.
“I know the Omicron variant had a massive impact on businesses during the festive season, which was a vital period for many. This new funding will allow the Council to continue supporting businesses across the District, particularly those in the hospitality and leisure industries, that were among the first to close due to the pandemic, and the last to reopen.”
InvestSK, supported by the Council’s finance team, launched the scheme on Friday 14th January 2022.
For more information on which businesses are eligible for support go to: Check if you're eligible for the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
More information about the support on offer locally is available at: https://investsk.co.uk/businessgrants/
