Stormont announces £40m support package for hospitality sector

Grants of between £10,000 and £20,000 will be available to more than 3,200 eligible businesses.

Eligible businesses include nightclubs, restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, bistros, snack bars, pubs/bars, social clubs or private members’ clubs. Sports clubs are not eligible.

The Department of Finance will take the lead in developing the latest grant scheme.

Ministers had faced criticism on Wednesday for agreeing and announcing a series of restrictions without an accompanying support package.

The administration currently has around £200 million of funding available to respond to the developing Omicron variant threat, including £100 million recently committed by the Treasury.

Nightclubs will close on Boxing Day under the new post-Christmas restrictions and indoor standing events will also be prohibited.

For hospitality businesses remaining open, a series of added curbs will apply.

Dancing has been banned while a table service only policy has been reintroduced, along with the “rule of six” limit on table sizes.

Weddings are exempted from the hospitality measures.

The scheme was agreed by First Minister Paul Givan and deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill by way of urgent procedure and without the requirement for a meeting of the powersharing administration.

The grants will be allocated related to the net annual value (Nav) of businesses’ estimated rental value, the same system used to assess rates bills in Northern Ireland.

Businesses with a Nav up to £15,000 will be eligible for £10,000 grants.

Businesses with a Nav between £15,000 to £51,000 will be eligible for £15,000 while those with a Nav over £51,000 can claim £20,000.

Finance Minister Conor Murphy tweeted: “As our society and economy once again face huge challenges @dptfinance will deliver an Executive agreed support package of £40m for over 3,000 hospitality businesses.”

Mr Givan said: “This is a demonstration of our commitment to supporting the hospitality industry and those workers who are being impacted by the current challenges around Covid.

“The Executive will continue to look at what other measures can be put in place to support other parts of the economy that have been impacted during this time.”

On Wednesday, ministers also agreed that sporting events can continue with no limits on capacity, while the work from home message will be bolstered and legislation introduced to require social distancing in offices and similar typed workplaces.

Employers will be encouraged to introduce lateral flow testing procedures for people who are still coming into work.

People attending large events will be urged to wear face masks, take lateral flow tests and not car share to or from the venues.

Ministers are due to meet again on December 30 to review the health measures and assess whether more action is need to suppress the spread of Omicron.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has welcomed the finance minister’s approval for a £40m support scheme.

“Having worked closely with the First Minister and the industry, I am delighted that a £40 million support package has now been put in place,” he said.

Sir Jeffrey added: “This funding is only possible as a result of continuing support from HM Government, once again showing the strength of our Union.

“I look forward to hearing further announcements in the coming days.”

Details of the package was unveiled as Northern Ireland’s health minister Robin Swann warned against Covid-19 complacency following research indicating that the Omicron variant may be less severe than Delta.

Another 3,227 confirmed cases of the virus were reported in the region on Thursday, only four down on Wednesday’s pandemic record of 3,231.

One further Covid-19 related fatality was also reported by the Department of Health.

No Thursday morning, there were 254 Covid-positive patients in hospital, of whom 34 were in intensive care.

READ: Latest Covid closures ‘unforgivable’

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