News New government grants for Maidstone businesses

Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) welcomes the government announcement of further grants for the hospitality and leisure sector.

Cllr Martin Round, Chair of the Economic, Regeneration and Leisure Committee at Maidstone Borough Council said:

I am relieved that Chancellor Rishi Sunak has set out a further £1bn fund across the UK to help businesses hit by the rise in Covid cases, which includes the leisure and hospitality sector.

I know from first-hand experience that many hospitality and leisure firms have been hit hard by people cancelling bookings or just having fewer customers through their doors due to fears over the spread of the Omicron variant.

Under the new grant scheme restaurants, bars, cinemas and theatres can apply for a grant of up to £6,000 for each of their premises. The Treasury is setting aside £683m for these grants and it will be provided under existing council-run schemes.

Cllr Round continued:

We don’t yet know when we will be getting the money from central government however as soon as we do, we can pass this on. We have a very well organised system to pay those businesses we have paid grant money to previously and will make sure it is distributed quickly to where it is needed most.

Details will be made available on the MBC website here once available:  https://maidstone.gov.uk/home/other-services/covid-19/tier-2-primary-areas/advice-and-help-for-businesses

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