The Chamber has recently launched its shop local campaign and will continue to promote the benefit of local business via social media and local radio in the coming weeks. Please sign up to the Shop Local campaign via the Chamber website or contact our Marketing Director Kerry-Anne Kitson for more details.
Government business grants:
Business premises forced to close are to receive grants under the Local Restrictions Support Grant. These businesses will be eligible for the following (more details on how to claim are to follow):
- For properties with a rateable value of £15k or under, grants to be £1,334 per month, or £667 per two weeks.
- For properties with a rateable value of between £15k-£51k grants to be £2,000 per month, or £1,000 per two weeks.
- For properties with a rateable value of £51k or over grants to be £3,000 per month, or £1,500 per two weeks.
Gov.uk the government website also mentions Discretionary Grants of up to £1,500 to be made by Local Authorities.
Implementation instructions for all of these grants are still to be received by MVDC.
Once instructions on how to apply have been received we will circulate them and provide appropriate links on the Chamber website.
Following the disappointing announcement to take England into another Lockdown we would encourage all businesses and business owners to monitor the advice shown on the government webpage. Further advice on the job retention scheme and business support loans can be found by clicking the link below. The advice offered is subject to change and should be monitored closely.
Businesses and venues which must close
To reduce social contact, the Government has ordered certain businesses and venues to close or restrict how they provide goods and services. These include:
- Non-essential retail, such as clothing and homeware stores, vehicle showrooms (other than for rental), betting shops, tailors, tobacco and vape shops, electronic goods and mobile phone shops, and market stalls selling non-essential goods. These venues can continue to be able to operate click-and-collect (where goods are pre-ordered and collected off the premises) and delivery services.
- Hospitality venues such as cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and social clubs; with the exception of providing food and drink for takeaway (before 10pm; and not including alcohol), click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery.
- Accommodation such as hotels, hostels, guest houses and campsites. Except for specific circumstances, such as where these act as someone’s main residence, where they cannot return home, for homeless people, or where it is essential to stay there for work purposes.
- Leisure and sports facilities such as leisure centres and gyms, swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts, golf courses, fitness and dance studios, climbing walls, archery, driving, and shooting ranges.
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Entertainment venues such as theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, casinos, amusement arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, skating rinks, go-karting venues, soft play centres and areas, circuses, funfairs, zoos and other animal attractions, water parks, theme parks. Indoor attractions at botanical gardens, heritage homes and landmarks must also close, though outdoor grounds of these premises can stay open.
- Personal care facilities such as hair, beauty, tanning and nail salons. Tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, body and skin piercing services must also close. It is also prohibited to provide these services in other peoples’ homes.
- Community centres and halls must close except for a limited number of exempt activities as set out below Libraries can also remain open to provide access to IT and digital services - for example for people who do not have it at home - and for click-and-collect.
- Places of worship, apart from for the purposes of independent prayer, and service broadcasting and funerals.
These businesses and places will also be permitted to be open for a small number of exempt activities, including:
- education and training (including for schools to use sports and leisure facilities where that it part of their normal provision)
- childcare purposes and supervised activities for children
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blood donation and food banks
- to provide medical treatment
- for elite sports persons (in indoor and outdoor sports facilities), professional dancers and choreographers (in fitness and dance studios)
- for training and rehearsal without an audience (in theatres and concert halls)
- for the purposes of professional film and TV filming
Businesses and venues which can remain open
Other businesses are permitted to stay open, following COVID-19 Secure guidelines. This includes those providing essential goods or services, including:
- Essential retail such as food shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, garden centres, hardware stores, building merchants and off-licences.
- Petrol Stations, car repair and MOT services, bicycle shops, and taxi and vehicle hire businesses.
- Banks, building societies, post offices, loan providers and money transfer businesses
- Funeral directors
- Launderettes and dry cleaners
- Medical and dental services
- Vets and pet shops
- Agricultural supplies shops
- Storage and distribution facilities
- Car parks, public toilets and motorway service areas.
- Outdoor playgrounds
Workers in any part of the UK can retain their job, even if their employer cannot afford to pay them, and be paid at least 80% of their salary up to £2500 a month.
The flexibility of the current CJRS will be retained to allow employees to continue to work where they can. Employers small or large, charitable or non-profit are eligible, and because more businesses will need to close, they will now be asked to pay just National Insurance and Pensions contributions for their staff during the month of November – making this more generous than support currently on offer.
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