The Cheshire East Council invites companies to apply for funding of up to £ 6,000 through the government’s Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant program.
The program offers one-time grants to support eligible hospitality, leisure, and lodging businesses that are struggling with the Omicron coronavirus variant.
Eligible businesses include bars, restaurants, wedding and event venues, soft play centers, museums, theaters, tourist attractions, riding arenas, caravan parks, hotels and guest houses.
Applications will remain open through midnight Monday, February 28, 2022 and may be submitted through the council’s website cheshireeast.gov.uk/businessrecovery
Cllr Nick Mannion, Chair of the Cheshire East Council Economic and Growth Committee, said, “The Omicron coronavirus variant has presented a number of other significant challenges for companies and we are excited to be receiving applications for this government grant.
“This latest program covers a range of hospitality, leisure and lodging businesses and I urge business owners to see if they are eligible as soon as possible.”
Cheshire East Council is also urging companies to review whether they are eligible for the agency’s business interruption fund, whose applications will also close at midnight on February 28, 2022.
The fund is for companies that can show they are still affected by the pandemic and the council recently increased the support available to a maximum of £ 10,000 per company.
This means that those who previously applied for funding and received the maximum amount available at the time – £ 5,000 – can now apply again.
Cllr Mannion added, “We are delighted to have paid out over £ 532,000 to companies in Cheshire East through our business interruption fund.
“However, we know that there are many others who are eligible for this grant who have not yet submitted their application.
“As with the other grant programs available, resources are limited and awards are given on a first-come, first-served basis, so I urge companies to apply immediately.”
The business interruption fund is distributed through a further allocation of Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) by the government, which recently approved an increase for it.
The Council has now received detailed guidance from the Department of Enterprise, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and will make any changes to its guidance as necessary once the guidance has been fully revised.
The council would like to remind companies that its Recovery and Growth Grant will remain open for applications until midnight on February 28, 2022.
The grant is available to companies looking to invest in their premises, facilities or equipment to enable a quick reopening, bring employees and customers safely back to their workplaces, or take advantage of new opportunities.
For more information on available scholarship programs and how to apply, please visit cheshireeast.gov.uk/businessrecovery
Payments to companies that successfully apply will be made by March 31, 2022.
