Murphy announces grant scheme for hospitality businesses in North West

The scheme will see eligible businesses get up to £600 per week for the duration of the restrictions.

Making the recent announcement, Minister Murphy said: “The restrictions imposed in Derry and Strabane are necessary to preserve lives, but they have a very damaging impact on the hospitality sector.

“I am introducing a Grant Support Scheme to assist those businesses forced to temporarily limit their operations.

“Small businesses will receive £800 for every two weeks they are closed. Larger businesses will receive £1,200 for two weeks. This is above comparable schemes on these islands.”

The grant scheme is in addition to the 12 months rates holiday which continues until the end of March 2021.

Minister Murphy continued: “The Executive is doing its best to mitigate the economic impact of Covid-19. However, the main support needed for businesses which cannot trade fully is wage subsidy.

“The end of the British Government’s furlough scheme at the end of this month is therefore deeply worrying and I again call for this scheme to be extended, particularly for businesses forced to close.”

Following the announcement of a support package for hospitality businesses in the Derry City and Strabane District Council Area, FSB NI Head of External Affairs, Roger Pollen has welcomed the announcement, and called for it to be deployed rapidly to affected businesses.

Roger Pollen said: “The restrictions placed on hospitality businesses in the Derry and Strabane Council Area have been severe, with business owners significantly impacted by the regulations which have been brought forward to protect public health.

“This support package is therefore very much needed and, while modest in scope, will be welcomed by businesses in the area, nonetheless.

“We now need to see the funding deployed rapidly, in a generous spirit, with the aim of supporting as many businesses as possible through this challenging period.”

Commenting on the creation of the Grant Support Scheme for North West hospitality businesses, Londonderry Chamber Chief Executive Paul Clancy said:

“Any and all funds for our hospitality businesses, which stand to be among the worst affected by the new restrictions in the North West, are welcome and we are grateful that the Finance Minister has acted swiftly to get vital funds to these businesses. The Department of Finance must now work quickly to ensure money reaches these businesses as soon as possible.

“However, we have to be realistic and recognise that this scheme is merely a drop in the ocean in terms of the support which is truly needed to save our regional economy and firms beyond the hospitality industry. Greater financial support and grants are urgently needed and I hope that today’s scheme is just the first in a suite of measures. The end of the furlough scheme at the end of the month presents a grave challenge for businesses of all shapes and sizes and unless the UK Government urgently brings forward further support measures, we are going to see thousands of redundancies.

“Viable businesses will be lost forever and the poverty this will create will also massively affect lives and create significant challenges. We are again urging everyone in the North West to minimise their social contacts and follow the basic rules of regular handwashing, social distancing, and mask wearing. We are also urging the Executive to continue to press Westminster for financial intervention and more support measures before the damage becomes irreversible.”

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