Venues opening mid-April still eligible for restart grants

A government spokesperson has confirmed that hospitality venues that open mid-April for outdoor-only service will still be eligible for the latest round of grants.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced one-off restart grants of up to £18,000 for hospitality businesses as part of last week’s Budget. The target date for reopening outdoor hospitality is currently 12 April.

The grants, which cover hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym businesses in England, are allocated based on the value of a property, from £8,000 for properties with a rateable value of £15,000 or under, to £18,000 for those with a rateable value of £51,000 or more.

However, some operators expressed concerns that a partial opening could impact their eligibility for such vital financial support while trade is still limited.

A government spokesperson said: “As the Budget has shown, we will continue to stand by workers and businesses as we have done throughout the pandemic – supporting millions of jobs and livelihoods. Our restart grant of up to £18,000 will give business, including the hospitality sector, the financial certainty needed to plan ahead and safely relaunch trading over the coming months.”

Further details about the restart grant will be provided in the next few weeks, in advance of the scheme launching on 1 April.

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