Halton Council has extended its rent holiday for some business tenants to the end of the year as they struggle to recover from the coronavirus crisis.
The council has agreed to waive rents for businesses that are still unable to trade for the rest of the year, or until they are able to occupy their premises again.
The move is designed to prevent businesses suffering “distress” while they are unable to receive any income and is an extension of the rent holiday offered to all council business tenants at the start of lockdown.
Around 50 businesses benefited from the initial rent holiday, but while some have been able to resume operations others are still suffering.
It is not clear how many businesses will benefit from the extended rent holiday, but the council expects it will cost in the region of £100,000.
A Halton Council spokesperson said: “This temporary rent waiver is available to leisure, hospitality and retail businesses who have not yet been able to reopen because of current government guidance and where Halton Borough Council is the landlord. We estimate this could cost around £100k
“These businesses employ local people and support the borough’s economy, so it is important that we do what we can to help until they can reopen.”
One business that will benefit from the waiver is the Widnes Vikings rugby league club, which rents the recently renamed DCBL Stadium from the council for its home games.
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But with the cancellation of its 2020 season, the club has found itself without any income and facing the possibility of incurring more debt just a year after it was rescued from administration.
The announcement of the rent holiday should give the club some breathing room, as will the decision of 82% of season ticket holders to decline the offer of a refund on their tickets.
