Dear business owner,
The Government has announced that the majority of the country, including Islington, is to be placed under new Tier 2 restrictions when the current lockdown lifts this Wednesday 2 December.
That means many businesses and venues will be able to reopen. This is welcome news, but we recognise that the Tier 2 restrictions will still be hard for many businesses. Thank you for your continued efforts to keep our borough safe, and to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
In the run up to Small Business Saturday on 5 December and Christmas we will be running a social media campaign to encourage our residents to shop local and safely. It will include a video message from the Mayor and some lovely images of our Christmas lights to encourage residents to visit our town centres. Do look out for it on twitter, facebook and Instagram and please share!
This has been a year like no other, and we know our diverse independent businesses – which make Islington so unique – need our support now, more than ever.
If you have any questions, or if you need advice or support, please get in touch by emailing businesssupport@islington.gov.uk.
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Advice on safe operating
Until the end of Tuesday 1 December Islington, and the rest of England, is still in lockdown and businesses must continue to follow national rules.
Tier 2 rules for businesses starting from Wednesday 2 December:
- All non-essential retail can open. Staff and customers must wear a face covering unless they have an exemption.
- Gyms, leisure centres, sports facilities can open. Organised indoor sport and exercise classes can resume, but participants cannot socially mix with others they do not live (or are not in their support bubble).
- Hairdressers, barbers, and beauty services can open.
- Restaurants and cafes can open.
- Pubs and bars can also open, but only if they are operating as restaurants with table service.
- All hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals.
- All hospitality venues must stop taking orders at 10pm and close by 11pm. Deliveries and takeaways can continue until later.
- Cinemas, museums, theatres and other entertainment venues can open, but must close at 11pm.
- Public attendance at outdoor and indoor events (performances and shows) is permitted, limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors.
Our enforcement teams will be visiting businesses from Wednesday onwards to help them comply with the new rules. Working together, we will provide advice and guidance to support your business – and where we need to, officers will be able to take enforcement action against businesses who break the new rules. If you need any specific advice, email Commercial.Envh@islington.gov.uk or if you are a licenced premise, email licensing.compliance@islington.gov.uk.
Safe operating guidance online
Our package of online information is there to help protect both employees and customers, and includes risk assessments, NHS Test and Trace guidance and social distancing advice. We update this information regularly, so please keep checking.
Financial assistance
Local Restriction Support Grant – Closed Addendum and Sector
Both the Local Restrictions Support Grant Closed Addendum and Sector schemes are live on our website. We have written to eligible businesses to invite them to apply. These are businesses which were required to close (either on the 5 November or before) by the government, e.g. restaurants, pubs or hairdressers/nail salons. The full list with eligibility criteria, guidance and application forms are on our website.
If you haven’t applied already or want to find out more, please get in touch – we’re here to help. We want to make sure as many businesses as possible access this vital grant-aid, so please help us spread the word through your networks.
Local Restriction Support Grant - open (Tier 2)
We are in the process of designing the LRSG Open scheme. Please keep an eye on our website for updates, we will also write to eligible businesses to invite them to apply.
Additional Restrictions Grant
We will announce details of a Discretionary Grant Scheme for businesses who have been severely impacted by social distancing restrictions within the next week. Again, please ensure you check our website regularly for updates.
Business support
Property advice service
The ban on commercial evictions will be lifted at the end of this year. The London Business Hub has organised a workshop which will take place on Friday 4 December 2020, 10.30am. It will focus on Covid-19’s impact on commercial spaces, helping businesses to understand their leases, rent negotiation and business rates.
Mental health
This is an incredibly challenging time for the business community. Business owners are facing significant challenges, which may be impacting their own mental health, or that of their employees. If you are experiencing mental health difficulties, it’s very important that you get the help you need as soon as possible. You do not have to struggle with distressing feelings alone. Contact the C&I Crisis Single Point of Access on 020 3317 6333 (open 24 hours a day, seven days a week).
EU Exit
Actions businesses may need to take
Business owners and managers need to undertake a number of actions this month in order to be prepared for the UK transition coming into effect on 1 January 2021. Click on each of the topic headings below to access more information about the new rules:
Training grant
In preparation for the end of the UK’s transition period on 31 December, importers or exporters to the EU can apply for £1,000 per organisation to support the cost of basic customs training.
Thank you again for everything you are doing. We are very proud of our business community in Islington and are committed to supporting you through these unprecedented times. We’ll continue to keep you updated via the business bulletin, and please do keep checking our business support web pages for updates on grants and other business information.
With best wishes,
Asima Shaikh
Executive Member for Inclusive Economy and Jobs
London Borough of Islington
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