Pubs that principally serve alcohol in tier two and three areas are set to receive additional financial support over the Christmas period following an announcement by the Government.
According to Government guidelines, pubs that do not serve ‘substantial meals’ are not allowed to reopen if they are based in a region which currently has a high number of coronavirus cases.
But a new £1,000 grant for “wet-led pubs” will support affected establishments during the busy festive period.
The one-off payment for December will be paid on top of the existing £3,000 monthly cash grant for businesses forced to close due to local or national restrictions.
This is in addition to existing measures intended to secure jobs and save businesses, such as the extension of the furlough scheme and the business rates holiday until March 2021.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Pubs are at the heart of communities across the country and they have been among the businesses which have suffered the most during the pandemic.
“While we can’t make up for all the trade they will lose over Christmas, I hope this new £1000 grant – on top of the furlough, VAT and business rates relief and existing grants, goes some way to help them weather the economic storm.”
Businesses can apply for the top-up payment through their local authority in the same manner that they apply for the existing COVID-19 grant funding schemes.
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