Colchester businesses affected by lockdown to benefit from over £6million grant funding

Date issued: 20 November 2020

Colchester Borough Council will receive a share of funding to support local businesses who are impacted by the current national lockdown arrangements.
The funding from central government aims to support local businesses through the second national lockdown and will be in the form of grants distributed across Essex via district, borough and city councils.

The application form will be available at https://www.colchester.gov.uk/coronavirus/businesses/business-support-grant/  from Friday 20 November.

The grants seek to help businesses who have had to close or businesses who have been able to trade but have been severely affected by the restrictions, regardless of whether they pay business rates or not.

The scheme will award eligible businesses up to £3,000 in support based on their size, their sector and the degree of loss or hardship. Market traders can also apply for a grant, the amount of which is dependent on criteria.  The Council will also run a discretionary scheme to support businesses not helped before or who can evidence significant hardship and loss.

Businesses can also apply for a Business Adaptation Grant to carry out adjustments to premises to enable them to continue to operate, improve their business and ensure the health and safety of staff and customers.

Businesses will be able to view further information, the application criteria and apply for grants viacolchester.gov.uk/coronavirus/businesses.

Councillor David King, Portfolio Holder for Business and Resources, said: “It is great news that we have an additional £6million funding to help our businesses through the second national lockdown. We know how important it is that we get payments out as fast as possible, in the next few weeks, to ensure businesses receive the support they desperately need.  

“As we did in the first lockdown, we will play our full part to ensure that all businesses are aware of the range of support available and get help swiftly out to them when we can.

“This winter will be difficult for all businesses, but we will do all we can to support them through to better times. Recognising the limitations of past national support, we will ensure our local discretionary scheme spreads a little Christmas cheer as wide and far as we can.”