RESTART Grants and a further round of Additional Restrictions Grants to help businesses across the Bradford District to reopen will become available from Bradford Council during the next three weeks.

The Government’s Restart Grant, which is being administered by local councils, is designed to support businesses as we follow the Government’s plan to move out of national lockdown and into the next phase of managing the pandemic, with eligible businesses receiving the one-off Restart Grant to help them to re-open safely.

Bradford Council will begin to email businesses in the district who were awarded a Local Restrictions Support Grant in January inviting them to apply for the Restart Grant.

Businesses should have started to receive emails this week, and must complete their form and return it no later than April 11.

Businesses that haven’t received a LRSG in January, but think that they may be eligible for a Restart Grant, will be able to apply later in April.

Bradford Council has also released details of their next round of Additional Restrictions Grants that will also become available in the next three weeks.

The next round of these grants will include up to £1,500 as an ‘Outdoor Trading’ grant for eligible ‘visitor economy’ businesses to help them to cover the cost of providing things like outdoor seating, lighting and barriers, so that they can reopen as part of Step Two of the Government’s Roadmap out of lockdown.

There will also be grants available for eligible home-based and mobile self-employed businesses such as driving instructors and mobile hairdressers who have not been able to apply for the other Government grants.

Jason Longhurst, Bradford Council’s Interim Strategic Director of Place, said: “We will be releasing details of how to apply for the ARG grants over the three weeks, and we’re asking businesses to prepare for this. For example, we will need to see evidence of the need for the grant, as well as details of the business’ bank account, so that we can pay the grant.

"The ‘Outdoor Trading’ grant can be paid retrospectively, which means it can include costs incurred preparing to reopen dating back to the start of February 2021.

However, we also want to make sure that the outdoor hospitality areas are managed safely and within the Government’s Covid secure guidelines including the need for there to be enough space for people to maintain the 2m social distancing.”

For more information about the grants available visit www.bradford.gov.uk/business