It was great to see the hospitality sector reopening this week. It certainly added an extra buzz around Newry this week.
The NI Executive has also announced further top-up grants for businesses. We have provided information below on the Small Business Support Grant Top-Up Scheme and a similar Top-Up Scheme for businesses that received the £25,000 Business Support Grant last year. The key point about these Top-Up Schemes is that you don’t have to apply. Businesses will be notified of their eligibility by early June.
Now that the retail and hospitality sector is open again, we hope that everyone will take the opportunity to support local businesses by shopping and dining locally.
Finally, don’t forget to join our three Facebook Groups, which have been set up by the Chamber to support local businesses.
1. SHOP, DINE & STAY NEWRY -JOIN GROUP HERE.
2. NETWORK NEWRY – JOIN GROUP HERE.
3. JOBS NEWRY – JOIN GROUP HERE.
Colm Shannon
Chief Executive Officer
Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade
SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT TOP-UP SCHEME
The Small Business Support Grant Top-Up Scheme provides financial support of up to £5,000 to businesses that received the £10,000 Small Business Support Grant in 2020 and have not been paid more than £5,000 under either theLocalised Restrictions Support Schemeor Covid Restrictions Business Support Scheme: Part B, subject to some exclusions.
Please note, queries about this grant scheme cannot be dealt with through the Land & Property Services on the Rating & Valuation Helpline on 0300 200 7801. Please wait for scheme contact details to be published in June.
This grant will cover a wide range of businesses, including those which were allowed to remain open during the most recent restrictions, such as convenience stores, hardware stores, bakeries, financial services, engineering firms and coach services.
Businesses which received the £10,000 Support Grant in 2020 are asked not to contact LPS Grants Team about eligibility until after they have been notified of the outcome of the automatic eligibility assessment.
They do not need to apply and all businesses will be notified of the outcome by early June 2021.
If a business is eligible for the Support Grant Top-Up, their grant payment will be issued to the bank account that was used to process the payment last year for the Small Business Support Grant.
These businesses will receive an email or a letter to confirm that the grant payment has been issued, as well as a remittance email or letter.
Payments will begin to issue to eligible businesses from Thursday 27th May 2021.
CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER INFO.
RETAIL, HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & LEISURE TOP-UP SCHEME
The Retail, Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Top-Up Scheme provides financial support of up to £10,000 to businesses that received the £25,000 Business Support Grant last year and have not been paid under either the
Localised Restrictions Support Scheme or alternatively
Covid Restrictions Business Support Scheme: Part B, subject to some exclusions.
Please note, queries about this grant scheme cannot be dealt with through the Land & Property Services on the Rating & Valuation Helpline on 0300 200 7801. Please wait for scheme contact details to be published in June.
This grant will cover a wide range of businesses across retail, hospitality, tourism, leisure and manufacturing.
Businesses which received the £25,000 Support Grant in 2020 are asked not to contact LPS Grants Team about eligibility until after they have been notified of the outcome of the automatic eligibility assessment.
They do not need to apply and all businesses will be notified of the outcome by early June 2021.
If a business is eligible for the Support Grant Top-Up, their grant payment will be issued to the bank account that was used to process the payment last year for the Retail, Hospitality, Tourism & Leisure Support Grant.
These businesses will receive an email or a letter to confirm that the grant payment has been issued, as well as a remittance email or letter.
Payments will begin to issue to eligible businesses from Thursday 27th May 2021.
CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER INFO.
APPLY TO THE EU SETTLEMENT SCHEME
If you employ workers from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, to help minimise the impact that the UK leaving the EU may have on your business and staff you should notify them to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.
EU, EEA & Swiss citizens and their family members, who were resident in the UK by 31st December 2020, should apply without delay so that they can continue to work, study, access free healthcare and benefits in Northern Ireland after 30th June 2021.
If your employees are an EU, EEA or Swiss Citizen living in Northern Ireland, they can contact Advice NI’s FREE multi-lingual service to check if they are eligible for the EU Settlement Scheme and can also provide FREE assistance with proof of identity, eligibility and suitability as well as completing the online application.
Advice NI’s support for the EU Settlement Scheme.
Audio Translations are available on NMDDC’s website in a number of languages to help explain what to do which you can access HERE.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY TO THE EU SETTLEMENT SCHEME.
FREE 1-2-1 CONSULTATIONS WITH INVEST NI
DATE: Wednesday 9th June 2021
TIME: 11:30am – 1:10pm
The event will offer you the opportunity to meet with business advisors in up to three specialist areas for FREE consultations on your business needs.
Eight advisors will cover the following topics:
► VAT & Indirect Tax
► Customs
► Supply Chain
► Transport & Logistics
► Immigration
► Data
The 20 min appointment slots must be pre-booked and will operate on a first come, first served basis.
You should only book one appointment in each specialist area of your choice. You can make up to a maximum of three appointments, with one meeting per chosen topic.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE & REGISTER NOW.
£2,000 FUNDING TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES OF COVID-19
InterTradeIreland is offering 100% funded financial support up to £2,000/€2,250 for cross-border companies towards professional advice to address key business challenges as a result of COVID-19.
Support is provided for the following:
► Staff Training
► Finances
► HR and Health & Safety
► Product
To be eligible, your business must:
► Be an indigenous business registered in NI or ROI
► Trade across the border (NI/ROI)
► Employ less than 250 employees
► Annual turnover less than €50m (sterling equivalent)
► Have a satisfactory trading history
CLICK HERE TO APPLY NOW.
SRC LAUNCH FULLY-FUNDED COURSES FOR BUSINESSES
SRC’s Business Support & Innovation Team has recently launched the Courses for Industry 2021/22 brochure, which showcases a wealth of courses most of which are fully-funded for local businesses with under 250 employees and social enterprises.
A wide range of courses are available including:
► Food Safety
► Health & Social Care
► Leadership & Management
► Social Media & Digital Marketing
► Plus many more
VIEW THE BROCHURE HERE.
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HERE.
NI SMALL BUSINESS CONFERENCE 2021
DATE: Thursday 24th June 2021
TIME: 9am – 1pm
We would like to encourage all members to register now for NI Small Business Conference 2021, which will help businesses plan a pathway for growth and recovery.
The programme will include keynote addresses from:
► NI Economy Minister, Diane Dodds MLA
► Richard Ramsey, Chief Economist NI, Ulster Bank
Supported by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), the FREE virtual conference will provide small businesses with practical advice, tools and solutions to help them in their growth and recovery.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.