More than £4million was handed out to hospitality and leisure businesses on the Isle of Wight through the government’s latest Covid support grants — but more than £1million that could have been handed out went unclaimed.
The ‘Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant’ provided one-off payments, of up to £6,000, to shops, offices, pubs and similar businesses.
The grants were targeted towards the accommodation, hospitality and leisure sectors, because of impact of the rise of Omicron COVID-19 cases.
The highly transmissible variant forced many to work from home and saw Christmas celebrations cancelled, meaning businesses lost out on trade through last-minute cancellations.
In December, the Island’s public health director Simon Bryant urged us to take sensible precautions and stressed the importance of breaking the chain of transmission as quickly as possible, as he warned Omicron would become the dominant strain.
The Isle of Wight Council was allocated more than £5.4 million to dish out to businesses, with any remaining money being sent back to the government.
County Hall says £4,349,081 was paid out, after letters were sent to eligible businesses and appeals were made on social media. However, £1,057,444 was never claimed.
Previous COVID-19 funding was automatically paid to businesses and there was no need to apply for the cash.
Business lost out.What a load of bullsxxt.Most were doing takeaways.Cash in hand and claiming COVID 19 Funding while open.Most cafés only declare a percentage of there takens.Most of it is never rung through the till.Costing us genuine tax payers more.For most businesses it was like winning the lottery.And they should be made to pay the money back and be named and shamed….
What a nasty piece of work you are – businesses are still struggling – some have closed down – yet you claim lots are raking it in.
Erm. You obviously weren’t working in hospitality in the lead up to Christmas.
Very true.
So many businesses have been booming since the Pandemic.
The island is like it was in the 1980’s full of holidaymakers
Who are keeping Island businesses flourishing.
Would be nice to see which businesses benefitted from public money.
Is there not a list of those businesses that benefited from this?
According to National News.
Many Companies in UK have been claiming loads of money illegally
No s”*t Sherlock.
It is called life.