New support grants are now available for businesses in Tewkesbury Borough that have been financially impacted by the latest coronavirus restrictions.

Tewkesbury Borough Council is responsible for administering and delivering the grants to its district and began taking applications from Monday (December 21), with payments being made in the new year.

Although yet to be publicised, the other Gloucestershire district councils will follow with their own grant application process and businesses are advised to contact their local authority for further information.

The grants are targeted at businesses that were legally required to close when the borough went into Tier 2 on Wednesday, December 2, as well as businesses operating in - or directly supplying - the hospitality, bed and breakfast, hotel and leisure sectors that remain open but have been severely impacted due to local restrictions.

In addition, a Christmas grant in the form of a one-off payment of £1000 is available for 'wet' pubs - pubs whose income predominantly comes from the serving of alcohol rather than food orders - to offset their loss of much-needed business during what would usually be a very busy and profitable period. Pubs that operated as wet pubs before the pandemic, but now serve food in order to remain open, also qualify for this payment.

To make the application process easily accessible, Tewkesbury Borough Council has introduced one single form for all businesses to fill out, regardless of which grant applies to them.

Councillor Rob Bird, leader of Tewkesbury Borough Council, said: "This has been an exceptionally challenging year for businesses throughout the borough and we are continuing to do everything possible to help them by offering extra financial assistance over the Christmas period.

"Hospitality businesses in particular will be severely affected by the Tier 2 regulations over the festive season, but we hope this additional funding will go some way to alleviate the financial impact of the local restrictions. We want to make sure they receive all the support they are entitled to and I urge any business owner in the borough who is eligible for one of these grants to apply."

For more information, visit https://covid19.tewkesbury.gov.uk/covid-19-business-grants-tier-2.