An emergency fund of up to £40million is being launched today (Thursday 15th October) in a bid to protect vital hospitality and leisure businesses in Southport, Sefton and across the Liverpool City Region from the huge economic impact Covid-19 restrictions are having on the sector.
First announced on Friday 2nd October by the Metro Mayor and the Mayor and Leaders of the city region’s six local authorities, the fund had been created and readied for launch earlier last week.
However, it was paused following the Chancellor’s announcement last Friday on the national furlough scheme and business support package and the announcement of Liverpool City Region being placed into the Tier 3 ‘very high risk’ Covid-19 category.
Over the last few days, Combined Authority and Local Authority officers have been working closely with the hospitality sector to understand how the Fund could best be redesigned to support them.
The Fund aims to enable viable businesses to continue trading and retain as many jobs as possible, to support temporarily-closed businesses top up employees’ wages and remain solvent and to help lay the ground for economic recovery across the hospitality and leisure sector in the future.
The Fund will be used to help keep businesses in the sector afloat for up to four months, until a wider and more substantial financial support package can be secured from central Government.
The aim is that the first funding will reach applicants within 10 days of applications being approved, with subsequent payments phased over the period of the grant.
A ‘grant application window’ will open at 10am this Friday 16th October 2020 and will close at 5pm on Thursday 29 October 2020
Eligible businesses can find out more, including Terms & Conditions, at www.sefton.gov.uk/hospitality-fund.
Detailed eligibility criteria will be available to applicants and will include:
- Small and micro hospitality and leisure businesses
- Based in the Liverpool City Region – Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral
- One full-time equivalent employee or more
- Going concern
- Business to consumer
- Trading from a commercial premises
In a joint statement, the Metro Mayor, City Mayor, Sefton Council leader Cllr Ian Maher and Leaders of the city region’s five other local authorities said: “The past six months have been an exceptionally difficult period for local businesses but despite the challenges they have faced, many have done an incredible job, showcasing the creativity, determination and resilience our region is known for.
“We know business owners and staff are absolutely at breaking point and we will do anything we can to prevent businesses and jobs going to the wall.”
“Our own teams have worked round the clock, in partnership with the sector, to get this fund ready for applications.
“We are committed to ensuring that we turn applications round at pace and get money to those businesses who so desperately need it.”
Paul Askew, Chef Patron of The Art School restaurant, said: “The new Tier 3 restrictions are a real hammer blow for hundreds of businesses in our sector and for thousands of our staff.
“I’ve been pleased to work with our colleagues in the Combined Authority and the six Local Authorities to help shape it to our needs.
“It will provide an urgent life-line to hundreds of viable businesses who might otherwise face closing for good due to the restrictions.”
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