Bolton businesses can apply for a new support grant from tomorrow.

The new Covid-19 Local Restriction Support Grant will provide some of the businesses hardest hit - including cafes, bars and restaurants - with £1,000 or £1,500 every three weeks while Bolton’s restrictions remain in place.

The eligibility criteria is limited to those business rate paying businesses providing in-person services from their business premises, and that have been forced to close for at least three weeks continuously due to local restrictions.

Cllr David Greenhalgh, leader of Bolton Council, said: “This is an incredibly challenging time for those businesses who have been put into lockdown and have their livelihoods put under threat.

"I will continue to speak out against these centrally imposed restrictions and the lack of parity with boroughs whose rates have far surpassed the rates to which we had our hospitality sector shut down. This new Local Restriction Support Grant is welcome and we will get this out to businesses as soon as we can. We’ve got teams ready to administer and get the grants out.

“But I will continue to press Government at the highest level for additional financial support for the sector as a major priority.”

For full details are at www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-restrictions-support-grant-guidance-for-local-authorities

Eligible businesses must apply via the online application form which is available at www.businessbolton.org/localrestrictionsgrant

Grant payments can be made to businesses from 1st October 2020 and the applications will be administered by Bolton Council’s Business Rates Team. Any enquiries should be emailed to businessbolton@bolton.gov.uk.