Maidstone Borough Council has quickly set up another round of business grants ‘Local Restrictions Support Grant’ for those affected by the second lockdown and they launch today.
For those registered for business rates in Maidstone and are required to close as part of the national restrictions the following grants are available for those that meet the criteria:
- For properties with a rateable value of £15k or under, grants to be £1,334 per month;
- For properties with a rateable value of between £15k-£51k grants to be £2,000 per month
- For properties with a rateable value of £51k or over grants to be £3,000 per month
Cllr Paul Harper, Chairman of the Economic Regeneration Committee at Maidstone Borough Council said: “We have very quickly created an online form to make it as simple as possible for businesses to access these grants. We want every business that has had to close for this second lockdown and meets the criteria to claim what they are entitled to.
“A separate grant scheme is to be launched in the coming days ‘Additional Restrictions Grant’. This will be for businesses that have been required to close but are not registered for businesses rates or are able to remain open but have had a significant reduction in income as part of the supply chain for the retail, hospitality and leisure sector.
“This has been devastating for businesses and we are doing all we can to help them stay afloat during these extraordinarily difficult times.”
To apply for a Local restrictions Support Grant please complete the online application form: https://self.maidstone.gov.uk/service/C19_Local_Lockdown_Support_Grant
Details of the ‘Additional Restrictions Grant’ will be published on this page as soon as it is available:
To keep up to date with all information on this grant, and other support for businesses, sign up to our newsletter at https://www.businessinmaidstone.co.uk/newsletter/
Businesses and venues that have had to close from 5 November until 2 December 2020 include:
- all non-essential retail, including, but not limited to clothing and electronics stores, vehicle showrooms, travel agents, betting shops, auction houses, tailors, car washes, tobacco and vape shops.
- indoor and outdoor leisure facilities such as bowling alleys, leisure centres and gyms, sports facilities including swimming pools, golf courses and driving ranges, dance studios, stables and riding centres, soft play facilities, climbing walls and climbing centres, archery and shooting ranges, water and theme parks,
- entertainment venues such as theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, casinos, adult gaming centres and arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, concert halls, zoos and other animal attractions, botanical gardens;
- personal care facilities such as hair, beauty and nail salons, tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, body and skin piercing services, non-medical acupuncture, and tanning salons.
Food shops, supermarkets, garden centres and certain other retailers providing essential goods and services can remain open. Essential retail should follow COVID-secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers.
Non-essential retail can remain open for delivery to customers and click-and-collect.
Hospitality venues like restaurants, bars and pubs must close, but can still provide takeaway and delivery services. However, takeaway of alcohol will not be allowed.
Hotels, hostels and other accommodation should only open for those who have to travel for work purposes and for a limited number of other exemptions which are set out in law.