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(Please note: We are reissuing this edition of the newsletter due to updated information on the eligibility for round four of the Additional Restrictions Grant – details below.)
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COVID Updates:
- The work from home guidance has been lifted. Businesses should speak to their employers about arrangements for returning to the office.
- It is now no longer mandatory to wear face coverings in most indoor settings.
- Venues and events are no longer required by law to check visitors’ NHS COVID Pass. Organisations can choose to continue to use the NHS COVID Pass.
Learn more about how the changes impact businesses by clicking here.
Westminster businesses are able to pick up two testing kits per person for staff. Pop into 60-62 Broadwick Street, W1F 7AN between 10am and 4pm, everyday.
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Round 4 of Additional Restrictions Grant Scheme Launches: We are committed to helping our business community during these challenging times. As part of that help, we have launched the fourth round of the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) which offers £10,000 per eligible business. This round of funding has been developed to support Westminster businesses who have not previously received any COVID-19 grant support. It also includes the following business groups:
- Medical
- TV, Film and Media
- Language Schools
- Dry Cleaners/Laundrettes
Businesses occupying offices will not be eligible to apply for this scheme, unless they fall under one of the above-named business categories.
Details on the new ARG-top up allocation will become available in this newsletter and on the council’s website soon.
The scheme is now being opened to recipients of round one of the mandatory grant schemes from last spring, namely the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant, and the Small Business Grant schemes, who have only previously received one grant.
The ARG scheme is being operated on a first come, first served basis. As soon as we have received the maximum number of eligible applications, we will be closing the scheme.
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Government Announces Support for Businesses Affected by Omicron: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced that businesses throughout the country impacted by the Omicron variant of COVID-19 will be helped by a £1billion funding package. The core of the funding (£683million) will be targeted at the leisure and hospitality sectors with up to £6,000 per premises being available. There are three bands of support available, based on the rateable value (RV) of each eligible premises:
- For RV of £0-15k – grants of £2,700 are available.
- For RV of £15-51k – grants of £4,000 are available.
- For RV greater than £51k – grants of £6,000 are available.
Eligible businesses under this scheme are currently being contacted directly by the council.
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Get Free Property Advice: The London Business Hub property advice service programme is offering free masterclasses to micro, small and medium businesses. The programme helps businesses have a level playing field when dealing with commercial landlords. Masterclasses will be held on:
- 22 February, 10.30am – 12.30pm
- 5 April, 10.30am – 12.30pm
One-to-one sessions are also available. For more information and to register, visit the London Business Hub.
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Efforts to Boost Footfall in Soho: To commemorate the Lunar New Year, Cllr Matthew Green visited the night market in Chinatown. The market is one of the many ideas to entice people back into Westminster and support businesses. Click the link to see more.
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We Want to Hear from Chinatown Businesses: In partnership with the LCCA, Westminster City Council organised a Night Market to celebrate the Lunar New Year on 31 January. Beyond feedback received on the night, we want to collect data to better measure the impact and success. If you have a business in the area, complete our short survey now.
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Cargo Bike Survey: We are inviting businesses to complete this survey about their interest in using cargo bikes for any deliveries and other uses. The survey is open until 21 March. If you complete it you will have the chance to be entered into a draw to win a prize from a local bakery, delivered by cargo bike. Click here for the survey. For further information about cargo bikes, visit our website.
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For more information to advise and support your business, Westminster City Council, the UK Government and the community can help:
Whilst we are dealing with a greater volume of queries than usual, if you need bespoke advice, don’t hesitate to contact our Business Unit to get appropriate help. |
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