Chancellor extends rent holidays to all hospitality businesses

All hospitality businesses are eligible for a one-year business rates holiday after the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced a series of new measures to help weather the financial strain caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

Last week in his maiden Budget Speech the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced a one-year rent holiday for all businesses of a rateable value below £51,000. However this has now been stretched to cover businesses of all sizes – “irrespective of rateable value”.

It also confirmed that government advice to avoid pubs, clubs and theatres etc. is “sufficient” for businesses to claim on their insurance where they have appropriate business interruption cover for pandemics in place.

The government also announced a £330bn package of government backed loans and guarantees for UK businesses to help weather the financial strain caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

Including:

• Support for liquidity amongst large firms, with a major new scheme being launched by the Bank of England to help them bridge Coronavirus disruption to their cash flows through loans
• Increasing the amount businesses can borrow through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme from £1.2mto £5m, and ensuring businesses can access the first six months of that finance interest free, as Government will cover the first six months of interest payments
• Including new legal powers in the Covid Bill enabling government to offer whatever further financial support  its thinks necessary to businesses
• Giving all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England a 100% business rates holiday for the next 12 monthsIncreasing grants to small businesses eligible for Small Business Rate Relief from £3,000 to £10,000

• Providing further £25,000 grants to retail, hospitality and leisure businesses operating from smaller premises, with a rateable value over £15,000 and below £51,000

Sunak said: “We will do whatever it takes to protect our people and businesses from the effects of this global economic emergency brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic. The interventions I am setting out today will help support businesses of all sizes – so they can continue operating during these unprecedented times.”

Welcoming the news UKH chief executive Kate Nicholls tweeted: “@RishiSunak really delivering here for hundreds of thousands of businesses who were last night in despair at having their business closed by the PM announcement. This is a huge breathing space to allow businesses to focus on their teams and the promise of more to come if needed.”

However, she added: “We may still need to encourage landlords to play their part and the £25k grant would help if extended to smaller businesses operating from larger premises to get them over the challenge of quarter rent day in 9 days. That’s the timetable and focus now.”

@RishiSunak really delivering here for hundreds of thousands of businesses who were last night in despair at having their business closed by the PM announcement. This is a huge breathing space to allow businesses to focus on their teams and the promise of more to come if needed

— Kate Nicholls (@UKHospKate) March 17, 2020