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Highland Council reveals that over 5500 Highland businesses have been helped by Covid-19 small business and self-catering firm grants


By Philip Murray

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Highland Council logo.
Highland Council logo.

ALMOST £60 million worth of grants have been paid out to small businesses and self-catering firms in the Highlands to help them weather the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis.

Highland Council revealed at more than 5500 Highland businesses have received £59.6 million between them – and that 99 per cent of the applications received since the grants launched have now been processed.

The local authority said that applications continue to be received every day but, based on estimates of the number of eligible businesses, uptake of the grant is still lower than expected.

And it urged anyone who had not yet done so, to make sure they are not missing out.

The council's head of development and regeneration, Allan Maguire, said: "We know from our non-domestic rates register that there are still many businesses who may be eligible who have not yet applied.

"While some may not require this support as their sector may be impacted less than others we do know further businesses are eligible and would encourage business owners to check the information on our website to see if they are eligible.

"Also of some concern to the council is the fact that certain areas of Highland have seen fewer applications than others. Over two-thirds of the businesses in the Inverness, Nairn and Badenoch & Strathspey areas expected to be eligible for the business grants scheme have applied, whereas only around half of those in Caithness or Sutherland have done so."

He added: "Recognising that businesses in some of our most rural areas can face the biggest challenges we are particularly keen to see more applications from eligible businesses in these areas.

“Business owners who are unsure whether they qualify for the grant schemes are encouraged to go to the council’s website and follow the links [below] to the guidance and application form.”

For more information about the Business Grant, click here.

For more information about the Self-catering Business Grant, click here.

Click here to read more coronavirus news.


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