Mel Stride MP is urging businesses in his constituency who have not yet claimed a £10,000 business grant to do so before the end of August. As part of the Government’s measures to support businesses through the coronavirus pandemic the Government has made grants of £10,000 available through the Small Business Grant Fund and grants of up to £25,000 available through the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund. In early August 900,00 businesses had successfully claimed £10.8bn but 80,000 eligible firms are yet to make their claim.
Mel made the appeal during a visit Chudleigh where he visited The Sugar Mill in Fore Street and met with Gina Sherwood, owner of fitness business UKGetActive. Mel said:
“This isn’t a loan – it’s a £10,000 grant that businesses can use to help with cash flow, help retain staff, invest in stock, spend on marketing or just set aside for a later date. It would be devastating if a business was to go under or a member of staff was let go because this grant wasn’t claimed. For businesses which are mainly used as a venue for hospitality, retail or leisure, the grant could be even bigger – up to £25,000.”
Anna and Lee Powell, who run the Sugar Mill, said:
“The government small business grant was a godsend to us, and we certainly wouldn’t have been able to continue trading without it. It helped with our wages – we are a husband a wife team so have no other income – and it also helped us to expand with a website now being professionally built and a new project for our shop is in the pipeline. We would certainly urge other small business owners to claim. If you have a premises and get business rate relief you will almost certainly be eligible and it was easy and quick to make the claim.”
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic Mel has served as Chair of the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee where he has pressed both the Prime Minister and Chancellor on the support available for employers and the self-employed.
