More than 1,700 businesses in Stoke-on-Trent have received a multi-million cash boost to help aid their recovery from the pandemic.
A total of 1,769 businesses in the city have won a share of the £11.5 million Government funding through the Restart Grant scheme - including non-essential shops, pubs and hairdressers.
Earlier this month, Stoke-on-Trent City Council was allocated £12.1 million as part of the scheme and the majority of the funding has already been passed on to eligible businesses.
The funding has seen non-essential shops receive one-off payments of between £2,667 and £6,000 depending on rateable value, while businesses operating in the hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym sectors can get grants of between £8,000 and £18,000.
City council leader Abi Brown told StokeonTrentLive: "We are really pleased to be offering another grant scheme to our local businesses to help them reopen and recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
"Now that non-essential businesses are able to reopen with Covid-secure measures in place, it's so important that they are supported to reopen their doors. Many of our local businesses have been sorely missed and we want to see them start to thrive again.
"If you're a business and have received a Local Restrictions Grant payment, you will automatically be assessed for the Restart Grant, and so there is no need to complete any additional forms.
"Our teams are working quickly to get the money distributed, and made £11.5 million worth of payments on Friday alone. This means that 1,769 businesses will immediately be able to benefit from the funding, and more will receive their payments soon.
"As we continue on the road to recovery from this dreadful virus, it is more important than ever that we try and shop locally where we can and boost our local economy."
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Newcastle Borough Council was allocated £5.49 million under the Restart Grant scheme, while Staffordshire Moorlands District Council received £7.3 million.
All of the local authorities are being urged to pay out the grants as quickly as possible to help businesses recover from the lockdown.
