Businesses in Harrogate now paid more than £30m as firms continue to struggle under extended lockdown

Around 2,500 businesses have received payments of £10,000 or £25,000 - and Harrogate Borough Council said it is processing new applications everyday.

The authority is also offering three months free rent to its commercial tenants and promising to pay its suppliers quickly to give them a boost during the coronavirus crisis.

Coun Graham Swift, deputy leader and cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development at the council, said: “We know businesses are under intense pressure. Our business rates team have worked extraordinarily hard to gear up to process tens of millions of pounds of government cash to support local businesses.

“We have drafted in extra staff to deal with grant payments and top priority is getting the money in to the bank accounts of local businesses as quickly as we can."

He added: "Businesses can help speed up their payments by completing the online information form on our website. This makes sure we have the information that we need to make payments quickly and accurately.”

Companies that receive small business rates relief or rural relief can apply for a £10,000 grant - while hospitality and leisure businesses, with a rateable value of between £15,000 and £51,000, can get a £25,000 grant.

Retail, hospitality, leisure businesses and childcare nurseries, regardless of rateable value, will also not pay any business rates in the next financial year.

More information can be found at www.harrogate.gov.uk/covid19grants

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter

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