Locally, we have seen the first steps of coming out of the lockdown with the opening of garden centres and amenity sites. Tonight, the NI Executive announced further steps as part of phase one of their recovery plan.
Getting our businesses prepared for reopening will be the central theme of our next Online Webinar and Q&A on Thursday 21st May 2020.
We’ll be joined by Glyn Roberts from Retail NI & Roger Pollen from FSB NI.
Details on how to register can be found below.
The NI Executive has also announced further details of the COVID-19 Hardship Fund for Micro-Businesses and I have provided information below.
I hope you find these updates of value. If you have any queries which you can’t get answered, let us know. If I can, I will cover them in our next update.
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You can contact me at:
colm@newrychamber.com
Stay safe.
Colm Shannon,
Chief Executive Officer
Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade
NEWRY CHAMBER ONLINE WEBINAR AND Q&A
The NI Executive’s Roadmap For Reopening The Economy
What Does It Mean For Your Business?
DATE: Thursday 21st May 2020
TIME: 6:30pm
Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade invites you to join our CEO, Colm Shannon who will host the Webinar and Q&A with:
- Glyn Roberts – Chief Executive, Retail NI
- Roger Pollen – Head of External Affairs, FSB NI
PLEASE NOTE:
Spaces are limited, we expect there will be a lot of interest in this Webinar and Q&A. It will be opened up to the wider business community from tomorrow so we would like to encourage as many of our members to register this evening in order to secure your place.
REGISTER FOR THIS WEBINAR HERE.
NI MICRO-BUSINESS HARDSHIP FUND
The NI Executive has launched a new NI Micro-Business Hardship Fund to help Northern Ireland based micro-businesses and social enterprises unable to access other regional and national COVID-19 support measures.
The Department for the Economy (DfE) will make up to £40 million available through a fund, which is being administered by Invest Northern Ireland on behalf of the Department for the Economy. It will offer emergency funding to businesses facing immediate cash flow difficulties due to the impact of COVID-19.
SUMMARY OF THE SCHEME
The Minister for the Economy announced on Friday 15th May 2020 that the scheme would open for online applications within the next seven days.
An online eligibility checker will be available this week.
Only one grant will be paid to each eligible business, irrespective of how many properties the business occupies.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Businesses should ensure they meet the following criteria before applying:
- The business must be based in Northern Ireland.
- At 29th February 2020, the business must have employed between one and nine employees paid via PAYE except where the sole employee is the business owner or company director.
- The number of employees will be based on headcount.
- Since 1st March 2020, the business must have experienced a reduction in turnover in excess of 40% as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic or associated government restrictions.
CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
UPDATE: £25,000 GRANT
DEADLINE TO REGISTER: Wednesday 20th May 2020
The NI Executive has provided an update on this scheme for businesses who are sole tenants, with a Total NAV of between £15,001 and £51,000, who operate in one of the eligible sectors
Businesses should use the online form for rental properties. Please see HERE.
Completion of the rental properties form constitutes pre-registration for the scheme.
Completion of the pre-registration on the rental properties form must be completed by the closing date of Wednesday 20th May 2020.
YOU CAN APPLY FOR THE £25,000 GRANT SCHEME HERE.
DEADLINE APPROACHING ON GRANT SCHEMES
Businesses should be mindful that Wednesday 20th May 2020 is the DEADLINE for registering for the £10,000 and £25,000 grant schemes.
Eligible businesses that want to register for one of the following grant schemes should note that the deadline for registration is Wednesday 20th May 2020.