Thousands of small businesses in Bristol could miss out on grants worth up to £5,000 unless they apply before Monday (June 8), the city’s local authority is warning.
Bristol City Council is urging companies, including bed and breakfasts, charities and nurseries, to check if they are eligible for a share of the £4.7million funding.
The Covid-19 Small Business Grants Discretionary Fund is open to companies with 49 or fewer employees, including businesses in shared offices, the self-employed, regular market or street traders and charity properties receiving charitable business rates.
But only 200 applications have been received so far, the council said.
Councillor Craig Cheney, deputy mayor and cabinet member for finance, governance and performance, said: “This next round of special grants has been directly targeted to businesses who may not have been eligible in the first round, such as creative freelancers who work from home.
“We are aware of how crucial Bristol businesses are to the fabric of the city and want to ensure as many business as possible can access funding to support their survival in response to the Covid-19 crisis.’’
The council said it had already awarded £84million to more than 6,500 small businesses across Bristol from the Small Business Grants Funds and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund.
Businesses eligible for these grants will not be able to apply to the Small Business Grants Discretionary Fund.
James Durie, chief executive of Bristol chambers Business West, added: “These grants offer a vital lifeline to support businesses with their cash flow and we are delighted that many more businesses across Bristol and the wider area are now eligible for this government support.
“Having worked alongside our council colleagues to secure these measures we at Business West very much welcome the local council’s collaborative approach to ensure as many businesses as possible can survive this crisis and able to play a part in the recovery we need to see and help make happen.’’
Applications for the Covid-19 Small Business Grants Discretionary Fund close on Monday at midnight.
All applications received by the closing date will be assessed against the eligibility criteria, scored and prioritised for award, according to the council.
The local authority said it would inform businesses if they have been successful or declined by mid-June with grants in accounts by the end of June.
For more information, visit bristol.gov.uk/business-support-advice/covid-19-discretionary-grant.
