
One-off restart grants are now available from Leeds City Council to help eligible businesses with the cost of opening up after coronavirus restrictions are eased.
Non-essential retail businesses that have had to close during the current national lockdown could receive as much as £6,000 worth of support, while affected businesses in the personal care, gym and sports, leisure, accommodation and hospitality sectors could be given up to £18,000.
The roadmap plan set out by the Government last month means that, as things stand, non-essential retail businesses will be able to reopen on 12th April. Personal care premises such as hairdressers and nail salons are also due to welcome back customers from that date, as are gyms and self-contained accommodation venues like campsites and holiday lets. In addition, hospitality venues will be able to serve people outdoors once again.
Provided the Government’s four lockdown exit tests – which include infection rates staying under control and the successful ongoing deployment of the vaccine rollout programme – continue to be met, restrictions are then due to ease on 12th May in other settings such as indoor hospitality, hotels, B&Bs, cinemas and children’s play areas. A final lifting of all limits on social contact is scheduled for 21st June.
Restart grant applicants should be based in Leeds, registered to pay business rates and in a position where they have been unable to provide the usual face-to-face customer service from their premises as a result of the national lockdown that came into force in early January.
Applications to this reopened scheme can be made from today (31st March 2021) until 5pm on 13th April. Successful applicants will get up to £1,000 to help them meet fixed business and property costs such as service charges and public liability insurance.
Applications for other council grants that cover November’s national lockdown period and the Tier 3 restrictions that were in place in Leeds in December should be made before 5pm today (31st March 2021).