Extra cash for pubs
16 Dec 2020
Pubs that have been forced to close in the run up to Christmas because of coronavirus restrictions are being urged to apply for extra funding to help them through the festive season.
Applications for an additional £1,000 for those pubs which mainly serve alcohol rather than food – referred to as ‘wet pubs’.
The payment is a one-off for December and will be paid on top on the existing cash grants of up to £3,000 for businesses.
Christmas would normally be a bumper time for pubs as people celebrate the festive season. But Dudley borough is in Tier 3 which means pubs and restaurants can open for a takeaway service only.
Councillor Steve Clark, cabinet member for finance, said:
"Pubs should be bursting at the seams at this time of year and I really feel for landlords who will be struggling as a result of the pandemic.
"These grants will go some way to helping them through these incredibly tough times and are just one of a number of financial packages we have for businesses across the borough.
"We are doing all we can to help as many businesses as possible through these very challenging times."
The Local Restrictions Support Grant scheme is up and running and has helped hundreds of businesses.
Eligibility is set by the government and depends on the rateable value of the business premises. The financial help aims to support businesses through the latest restrictions and recent lockdown period.
Grants are awarded to the ratepayer for the four week lockdown period. Premises with a rateable value of £15,000 or less can receive up to £1,334 while those with a rateable value of over £15,000 but less than £51,000 can receive £2,000. Finally, businesses with a rateable value of £51,000 or over are eligible for £3,000.
Grants are available to a range of businesses that cannot trade including non-essential retail, hospitality venues, accommodation such as hotels, leisure and sports facilities, entertainment businesses, hair and beauty venues, community centres and place of worship. Full details can be found on the council’s website.
This grant is not available to businesses that can continue to trade or have chosen to close but have not been instructed to. Those businesses which are in administration, insolvent or subject to a striking-off notice are also not eligible for the grants.
The extra £1,000 is available to ‘wet pubs’ only.