Business Activation Grants

Grants of £1000-10,000, scaled to turnover, available through a bidding process to existing businesses currently locked down but needing to adapt their premises, business practices and/or promote themselves to get 'back in business' Particularly, but not exclusively, aimed at hospitality and retail sectors.

Aimed at helping business re-engage with markets and re-present themselves . Eligibility should be dependent on businesses itemising their expenditure relating to plans to engage with customers in the new environment. For example re-presenting self catering and bed and breakfast accommodation including adaptations to equipment, furnishings. Another example would be re-working tourist offers, websites and leaflets for visitors both from the UK and abroad. Another would be for cafes, restaurants and cinemas to re-engage with customers presenting their new ways of working (more takeaways, booking systems for seating etc). I believe small businesses in particular could be encouraged through these grants to "give it a go" rather than "give it up" as I know some are talking about.

A similar or the same package could also apply to community venues which also face big challenges getting people to visit them or engage in activities post lockdown

Why the contribution is important

Without adaptation many small businesses will not be able to re-open, damaging the economy, affecting the lives of those on low incomes and discouraging enterprise. Promoting the best examples as awards are made would provide an opportunity for the government to raise business confidence and community well being by having some 'good news' stories to balance the understandably largely negative media coverage of the crisis

by Bardin1 on May 11, 2020 at 10:18AM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.8
Based on: 6 votes

Comments

  • Posted by MHH May 11, 2020 at 15:36

    Any grants should only apply to co-operatives, or community based businesses or organisations.

  • Posted by Craig111 May 11, 2020 at 16:53

    What is the reasoning behind this?

  • Posted by Bardin1 May 11, 2020 at 20:34

    Hi Craig111 - my reasoning is that I believe small businesses and organisations may struggle to come out of the 'lockdown' without some incentive. For some businesses - eg cafes, restaurants, pubs, food shops etc, the additional costs of remodelling their businesses to allow social distancing may seem prohibitive. A grant to cope with adjustment costs may be the difference in them deciding to give up or carry on. For small communities like the one I live in we may lose vital small shops, cafes, arts organisations which are key to the local quality of life. To give a couple of examples the local fish and chip shop is one door in one door out but has potential to remodel its adjacent small sit in facility to allow passage through the shop for takeaways. A small grant may facilitate this. The local artss centre has an indoors cafe but a large adjacent outdoor space - maybe a covered awning would allow them to retain enough covers to be viable...
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