Strategic Business Fund grant applications sought

Highland Council has today launched - on behalf of the Scottish Government – the Business Restrictions Fund.

Depending on the rateable value of the business premises, grants of £1,400 or £2,100 are available for eligible businesses up to a maximum of £10,500 if the business has multiple premises.

To be eligible for the grant, the business must be:

• Theatres, sports stadia, conference and exhibition centres, comedy clubs, concert halls and music venues subject to a specific cap on the number of people who can attend an event.
• All Hospitality subjected to time restrictions on their operations (i.e. no admittance after 9.30pm, closure by 10.30pm) by law - includes restaurants, pubs, bars, licenced sports and social clubs and licensed premises.

The Business Restrictions Grant is only for those hospitality businesses that are legally required to close earlier than normal. It is not for businesses who, for example, have had to adopt physical distancing or for those accommodation providers who have lost or reduced trade due to travel restrictions, or for food takeaways.

At the current time, the Scottish Government has advised that licensed hotels are not eligible for this grant scheme.

Businesses are asked to go to the Council’s COVID-19 Business Grant page on its website and check to ensure that they meet the full range of eligibility criteria. Eligible businesses are then asked to complete the online application form accurately and in full while ensuring that they submit the specified evidence. This will enable applications for this grant to be assessed and for payments to be made.

As the grant is payable every four weeks in arrears, the first payments will be made in early December 2020. 

For more information please visit Strategic Framework Fund