COVID-19 – Grants – Limited window of opportunity

01 February 2021

Operators need to be aware that a number of Local Authorities are in the process of opening their applications for additional lockdown grant funding and that the window of time for application are likely to be limited and not highly publicised. 

The Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage, Nigel Huddleston, told Parliament on 27 January 2021 that Coach operators in England “can and certainly should” be considered eligible to receive funding from local authorities through the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).  He also added that he “encourages and expects Local Authorities to be sympathetic to applications from those businesses, and others, that have been impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, but are ineligible for other grant schemes.”

Please note that despite the above comments, the decision to award a coach operator ARG funding is at each Local Authority’s discretion.

Operators are urged to stay in regular contact with their Local Authorities and to regularly check their websites to see when application windows open and close.

Please contact our Despute Resolution Team on 01254 828300 or disputeresolution@backhouses.co.uk of you would like any advice.