Following the launch of four additional business grants, East Cambridgeshire District Council is urging business owners to check if they are eligible for the new and existing business grants available.

Pubs in East Cambs that predominantly serve alcohol are now able to apply for access to the government’s one-off £1,000 Christmas Support Payment through the district council.

East Cambridgeshire District Council is accepting applications from pubs that derive less than 50 per cent of its income from sales of food, which have been severely impacted over the festive season.

Final applications must be submitted by 31 January 2021.

There are two new grants to support businesses impacted by the Tier 2 restrictions.

The Local Restrictions Support Grants (LRSG) for closed businesses is specifically for businesses with a rateable value which have been forced to close due to Tier 2 restrictions. There is a further LRSG for open businesses. This grant is for hospitality, hotel, B&B and leisure businesses with a rateable value that have stayed open, but whose income has been severely reduced due Tier 2 restrictions.

Round two of the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) for businesses impacted by the November national lockdown , has also opened for applications.

The grant was originally for businesses outside the business rates system forced to close during the November national lockdown, as well as those businesses with commercial properties who were severely impacted by the national lockdown due to supplying the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors or businesses in the events sector.

This grant has now been extended to include businesses that operate from domestic properties and pay Council Tax.

The deadline for applications for the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) round two is 31 January 2021.

Councillor David Brown, chairman of the Finance and Assets Committee, said:

“I am pleased to see round two of the Additional Restrictions Grant also include businesses that work from domestic properties. We hope that this extension will provide more support to businesses that need it. 

“The hospitality industry is one of the business areas that has been affected the most since the pandemic and where the introduction of tiered restrictions has allowed others to trade, it is not the case for wet-led pubs.

“This one-off cash injection is a boost to the funding support they may have been able to access prior to Christmas.

“The deadline for these new grants is not far away, therefore I would encourage those who believe they may be eligible to visit our website to find out more information and apply.”

More information on criteria for each grant can be found on the East Cambridgeshire District Council website.

Businesses can also apply for the Christmas Support Payment, ARG round two and LRSG for open businesses on the website.

The Council will contact businesses directly regarding the LRSG for closed businesses.

Enquiries regarding business grants can be emailed to covid19businessgrants@eastcambs.gov.uk.