As the Chancellor announces extra funding to help the hospitality and leisure industries, the District Council has launched two new grants to help local businesses.

As Covid continues to impact our lives, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has opened applications for new:

Vacant shop grants - £5,000 to support businesses taking on a vacant retail property in the Moorlands with a minimum 12 month lease from 1 August this year. The grant will fund up to 50% of lease payments plus £1,000 contribution towards signage, shop fittings and marketing. Businesses that have moved into larger premises (30% or more increase) and those taking on additional premises can also apply.

Market trader/operator grants - from £300 to £3,000 for regular market traders or leaseholders to help with rent and marketing materials; leaseholders of a permanent market unit or market lock-up shop for improvements to units; and licenced market organisers or a traders group for marketing, promotion and events aimed at attracting new customers or traders.

Councillor Sybil Ralphs, Leader of the Council and Cabinet member for regeneration and finance, said: "The ongoing situation with Covid and the measures to manage the spread of the disease continue to have a significant impact on businesses.

"We want to help and support local businesses as we all continue to adapt to changing circumstances so I'm pleased that we're announcing these two new grants for market organisers and traders and for people taking on vacant premises in the Moorlands.

"The Council has delivered strong and responsive support to businesses throughout the pandemic and will continue to do so. The vast majority of discretionary funding has been granted directly to businesses with £3 million made in payments on top of the £47 million in mandatory grants.

"I hope these new grants will help even more local businesses through this challenging period."

Businesses can find out more and apply on the district council's website.

Yesterday the Government announced a £1bn fund to support those businesses being impacted by the Omicron variant. Hospitality and leisure businesses will be eligible for one-off grants of up to £6,000 and a further £30m is being made available to cultural organisations.

The Government will also cover the cost of statutory sick pay for Covid related illness for small and medium sized employers.

Councillor Ralphs added: "I know this further financial support which has been announced will be very welcome to businesses. Once we receive further details, including guidance on the requirements for assessing applications, we'll work as hard as we can to get the funding to businesses as quickly as we can.

"We'll update our website with all the relevant information once it's available and include it in our monthly business newsletter so, if you haven't already, please sign up to receive it.

"In the meantime, I would ask people to bear with us and let us put the necessary mechanisms in place to make sure this much needed support is with businesses as soon as possible."