2021 Update: Grants, Lobbying & Deliveries

Hi everyone,

Firstly, we wish to extend our best wishes to you for the New Year. Despite further uncertainty as we enter 2021, we hope that you are safe and healthy, and have enjoyed some time with those closest to you.

This update is in light of the recent move up into Tier 4. Once again, we are sad to see more businesses having to shut their doors, alongside our leisure and hospitality sector businesses who remain closed. Accordingly, we know that for many, financial matters and adapting to online (collection, delivery etc) is again top of mind, so we wanted to update you on business grants, our lobby efforts and a new delivery service available to local businesses.

Alongside this, you may have read in the press that Leamington has been provisionally awarded some funding as part of the Future High Street Fund, and positive investment plans are coming forward to support preparations for the Commonwealth Games which offers hope. Also, discussions about the ongoing closure on the Parade are ongoing, so we will email soon to update you on all this and seek your feedback.

In the meantime, please reach out if there is anything we can support you with and we invite you to support our continuing lobby efforts. The Royal Leamington Spa Town Centre Facebook page, Instagram, twitter and www.loveleamington.com is where we showcase what you are now doing, so please keep us updated on your plans.

Please join our Leamington Town Centre Facebook Group if you haven’t already and share your ideas, information, promotions etc. We also post updates on the BID Leamington Facebook Page and information on our website: www.bidleamington2022.mystagingwebsite.com.

 

1. Business Grants

Full details of Tier 4 rules and exclusions can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home

The following update has been provided by Warwick District Council and further information can be found here: https://www.warwickdc.gov.uk/info/20068/business_awards_and_grants/1626/local_restrictions_grant_funding_schemes

In summary, as from 31st December the new Tier 4 (closed) addendum scheme supersedes the other 3 grant schemes that were running (LRSG Closed, Open and Sector).

All businesses that have been mandated to close again, or are still closed from the Tier 3 restrictions, will receive the following payments on a 14 day cycle backdated to 31 December:

  • RV 15,000 and under: £667
  • RV 15,001 – 50,999: £1,000
  • RV 51,000 and over: £1,500

A new application is NOT needed as WDC will auto pay based on the 2nd national lockdown details (5th November lockdown). You only need to do a new application if:

  1. You haven’t already received their 2nd national lockdown payment (WDC will then pay out the 2 schemes together).
  2. You are making a retrospective application for the ‘open’ scheme which was running from 2nd to 30th December (WDC will then pay out the 2 schemes together).

Please note, as per the WDC website update (here), all of the LRSG (closed) payments were made prior to Christmas, however depending on the timing of banks and holidays, it may not hit your account until January 7th. We are not yet sure about the ARG – Part C grants, but the timing may be similar.

WDC offices will open from January 4th, so if you wish to check up on grant payments directly, please email:  visiting.officers@warwickdc.gov.uk. Please feel free to ‘cc’ or contact us, and include the applicant name, business name, full address and postcode and ideally your business rates number. Also please specify what grant(s) as they are dealt with by different teams.

WDC will begin to make the new auto payments on the Tier 4 (closed) grants when they return back to work after 4th January.

 

2. Lobby Efforts

We know the business grants are not enough. Our ‘Make Some Noise’ and the ‘Bounce Back Better’ Campaign got off to a good start before Christmas, and more support is needed now more than ever.

We are inviting BIDs, industry bodies and businesses nationally to support this. Almost all support to date has resulted from efforts to inform decision makers of business challenges and needs – so we will keep doing this. To find out more or get involved, please see the content here:

 

3. Delivered.it.

For some time we have been researching local solutions to support businesses with cost effective deliveries and / or an online marketplace. We know there is a lot of change in the market – and for the hospitality sector, a number of choices, so we are careful about who we identify. Recently we met the founder of Delivered.it,Peter Hazelgrove, who lives locally and you may have seen some fliers come through your door. A number of Leamington businesses have now signed up, delivered.it are promoting themselves to local residents and we have heard good feedback, so we wanted to make you aware in case you are interested.

Specifically, there are two main services:

  1. An online marketplace, to encourage consumers to buy from local businesses (like yourselves); and
  2. An on-demand delivery service – with a separate option for restaurants and food businesses (including takeaways).

Sarah Horne, a local business you may know, has been using both services and features in their video here: https://vimeo.com/484741301.

Below is a short summary of the delivered.it offer:

Online Marketplace:

  • There are no costs to join the delivered it. marketplace, which you can view by clicking here.
  • Each business has their own listing page, with header image, logos, products etc.
  • You can offer ‘Click and Collect’ and / or ‘Delivery’. Delivery can be using yourself / own drivers or the delivered it. logistics delivery team (please see below).
  • Set up and getting online is quick and easy and the team will support you.
  • Cost – you pay an order commission of 10% only if you sell. This includes the cost of delivering the order for you, up to 5 miles.
  • Example business, please Click here to view Sarah Horne Flowers.
  • For more information, please click here.

On-demand delivery service:

  • delivered it. Logistics is an on-demand driver service for local deliveries. This can be a standalone option, or part of the online marketplace above.
  • This allows you to request a driver to deliver any orders you may receive online, or over the phone etc. so you can avoid delivering it yourself, or having a staff member waiting in case.
  • You can use them as much or as little as you wish.
  • They are available 7 days a week from 10:00 – 22:00.
  • Cost – you pay only if you book a driver.
  • For more information, please click here.

Restaurant & Food Businesses:

  • In addition to above, delivered it. have a local offer focused on the hospitality sector, as they want to challenge the commission rates of the ‘giants’. For more information, please click here.

Please note, we are in not connected to this business and if interested, it is important you make contact and explore the offer and costs to ensure they are right for you. To speak to one of their team you can also phone: 020 800 43386.

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As always, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Alison or myself if you have any queries and we will be in touch again soon.

Best wishes and stay safe,

Steph & Alison