Businesses can apply for a new Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant

Applications for the new Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant are now open on Bedford Borough Council's website.

The Government announced that further support will be provided to businesses affected by the Omicron wave through the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant.

The amount eligible local businesses will receive are:

• Qualifying businesses with a rateable value of £15,000 or less on 30 December 2021, will receive a one-off grant of £2,667.
• Qualifying businesses with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 on 30 December 2021, will receive a one-off grant of £4,000.
• Qualifying businesses with a rateable value of £51,000 or above on 30 December 2021, will receive a one-off grant of £6,000.

Business within Bedford Borough, which occupy a property they pay business rates on and fall within the hospitality, accommodation and leisure business sectors may be eligible for this grant.

Visit https://www.bedford.gov.uk/social-care-health-and-community/public-health/coronavirus/coronavirus-business-advice/business-support-grants/ to find out more about eligibility, and to apply for this grant.

This scheme follows on from the Council already stepping up to support businesses by issuing a final support grant from the remaining previous Additional Restrictions Grant Fund in December to 552 local businesses' impacted by COVID-19.

Businesses that had been most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic have now received a final grant payment from this Fund. These businesses include those in the hospitality sector, indoor facilities, non-essential retail and leisure settings such as cinemas.

Businesses that operate from business premises received £880, while other qualifying businesses received £264.

In addition, the Council is awarding funding to three organisations which support local businesses to help them keep doing this vital work:

• £48,000 has been awarded to the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) to support their small and medium size enterprise recovery support programme in Bedford Borough.

• £40,000 has been awarded to the Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce towards their global trade business support programme to assist businesses in Bedford Borough to expand into export markets.

• £50,000 has been awarded to BedfordBID to undertake activities to increase custom to town centre businesses and to encourage customers to feel safe to return to the town centre.

Councillor Michael Headley, Portfolio Holder for Finance, said "We know these are uncertain times for local businesses, and we have distributed this last half a million pounds from the previous Additional Restrictions Grant Fund to those businesses which have been most affected as well as to organisations that provide support for businesses. Throughout the pandemic we have worked to provide grant funding quickly and fairly. Please visit our website at https://www.bedford.gov.uk/social-care-health-and-community/public-health/coronavirus/coronavirus-business-advice/business-support-grants/ to find out more about the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant, and apply for this funding."