Cheltenham Borough Council has launched a new grant scheme to support businesses – and applications can be made until Wednesday 10 March 2021.
This Additional Restrictions Discretionary Grant is the second round of ARG support and includes businesses not eligible for the national schemes.
The categories of local business which can apply has been expanded – and in more good news, the government has also confirmed the LRSG (Local Restrictions Support Grant) scheme will be extended to Wednesday 31 March 2021 too.
Cllr Steve Jordan, cabinet member finance and assets for the borough council, said: ‘To date, we have paid over 6,500 grants, worth £32m to businesses.
‘We hope that even more businesses can now benefit from this local discretionary scheme, which provides some financial relief during a time of great uncertainty.
‘I would also urge the government to expand income support to groups who have so far received none.’
Businesses now eligible for the ARG support include:
• Bed and Breakfast premises which pay council tax instead of business rates
• Regular market/street traders who do not have their own business rates assessment (license from Cheltenham Borough Council)
• Hairdressers/beauticians/businesses providing personal care/wellbeing/in person training services that do not have their own business rates assessment
• Businesses in or supplying the retail, hospitality, leisure/tourism and events sector that do not have their own business rates assessment
• Certain food and beverage outlets
• Taxi drivers (licensed by and living in Cheltenham borough)
Businesses must either have premises or other unavoidable fixed on-going business costs and have been severely impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.
Full eligibility criteria is listed on the council’s business grants pages.
By Andrew Merrell
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