News National Lockdown Business Grant Scheme

Following the announcement that the country will go into another lockdown from Thursday 5 November the Government will make funding available to all Local Authorities to cover certain types of businesses that might be affected.

Cllr Paul Harper, Chairman of the Economic Regeneration Committee at Maidstone Borough Council said:

“In order to reduce social contact these measures are essential. However we know that businesses are the lifeblood of the communities we live in and we will do all we can to help them stay afloat during these extraordinarily difficult times.

“Maidstone Borough Council understands this new grant scheme will include those that may not be in the business rates system.

“We are still awaiting the final details of this new scheme and will publish these on our website once we have them.”

Businesses required to close in England will be eligible for the following:

• For properties with a rateable value of £15k or under, grants to be £1,334 per month, or £667 per two weeks;
• For properties with a rateable value of between £15k-£51k grants to be £2,000 per month, or £1,000 per two weeks;
• For properties with a rateable value of £51k or over grants to be £3,000 per month, or £1,500 per two weeks.

Certain businesses and venues will have to close from the 5 November until 2 December 2020. These include:

• all non-essential retail, including, but not limited to clothing and electronics stores, vehicle showrooms, travel agents, betting shops, auction houses, tailors, car washes, tobacco and vape shops.
• indoor and outdoor leisure facilities such as bowling alleys, leisure centres and gyms, sports facilities including swimming pools, golf courses and driving ranges, dance studios, stables and riding centres, soft play facilities, climbing walls and climbing centres, archery and shooting ranges, water and theme parks,
• entertainment venues such as theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, casinos, adult gaming centres and arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, concert halls, zoos and other animal attractions, botanical gardens;
• personal care facilities such as hair, beauty and nail salons, tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, body and skin piercing services, non-medical acupuncture, and tanning salons.

Food shops, supermarkets, garden centres and certain other retailers providing essential goods and services can remain open. Essential retail should follow COVID-secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers.

Non-essential retail can remain open for delivery to customers and click-and-collect.

Hospitality venues like restaurants, bars and pubs must close, but can still provide takeaway and delivery services. However, takeaway of alcohol will not be allowed.

Hotels, hostels and other accommodation should only open for those who have to travel for work purposes and for a limited number of other exemptions which will be set out in law.

An application process will be established as soon as possible and published on these pages: https://maidstone.gov.uk/home/other-services/covid-19/tier-2-primary-areas/advice-and-help-for-businesses

The Government has yet to publish the details of how local authorities should administer these grants.

To keep up to date with all information on this grant, and other support for businesses, sign up to our newsletter at https://www.businessinmaidstone.co.uk/newsletter/

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