Welcome to this week’s business newsletter on the support and guidance available during the Covid-19 pandemic.
This issue features the following articles:
- Deadline extended for Discretionary Grants
- High Street reopens to non-essential businesses
- Guidance on face coverings
- William Morris Gallery shop and cafe reopens
- Elbow Creative offers help to care organisations
- Advice on estate agent boards
The deadline to apply for a Government ‘Discretionary Grant’ has been extended by the Council to ensure as many businesses as possible have access to this vital financial support.
Businesses now have until Monday 29 June to apply for a grant up to £7,500 to help with the impact of Covid-19.
Discretionary Grants are for certain businesses who were not eligible for previous £10k and £25k grants paid by the Council to business rates payers, including:
- Small suppliers hardest hit by the closure of the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors;
- Businesses using shared workspaces;
- Council licensed, permanent market traders;
- Charities with a business rates assessment below £15,000;
- Bed and breakfasts paying council tax.
Grants must be applied for before 29 June and applicants will need to provide certain documentary evidence to support their application.
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Councillor Simon Miller, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth and Housing Development, welcomed businesses back to Waltham Forest's high streets this week. Watch the video.
As 'non-essential businesses' reopen their doors, the Council is ensuring those which are back in operation comply with Covid-19 guidelines by:
- Checking whether risk assessments have been completed;
- Checking staff can maintain a safe distance from one another;
- Checking businesses have effective queuing systems;
- Checking businesses have limited the number of customers who can be in store at any one time and how they are implementing this;
- Checking staff have access to hand wash facilities with hot water;
- Checking businesses have an easy system for sick staff to self-sign-off in place;
- Checking businesses have a formal cleaning schedule;
- Checking businesses have the necessary PPE where appropriate.
Employers should also display a notice visibly in their shop windows or outside their store to show their employees, customers and other visitors that they have followed this guidance.
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The new national High Streets Task Force is now open for business and focused on making town centres more viable and able to respond to Covid-19.
It has developed tools, training, information and advice for high streets and included free access to online programmes, webinars and data on topics including recovery planning.
The website has online training open to everyone.
The use of face coverings is now mandatory on public transport, and with the reopening of non-essential shops on 15 June, London Growth Hub has guidance on the use of face coverings for employers and employees.
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The shop and cafe at William Morris Gallery on Forest Road, Walthamstow, reopened this week and will be back in normal hours of operation from next week.
The cafe will be open weekdays 10am - 4.30pm and the shop from 10am - 5pm.
Full risk assessments have been carried out before the reopening and social distancing measures are in place.
The shop is offering a Click and Collect service which can be accessed below.
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A creative agency in Switchboard Studios, Blackhorse Lane, is offering up to 20 hours work to a care organisation in Waltham Forest, to help with posters, brochures or general advertising.
Elbow Creative creates brand identities, websites, brochures, reports and brand collateral.
If you are a charity or CIC, or know of one locally, please get in touch before 1 July.
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The Council would like to remind estate agents that boards (residential or commercial) are not permitted on the following roads within the borough, so as to improve the visual aspects of the area.
- Crownfield Road
- Forest Road
- High Road Leytonstone
- High Road Leyton
- Hoe Street
- Lea Bridge Road (East of Orient Way)
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We will continue to update you as new information is available. We know that this is a fast-moving situation, but we are confident staff will continue to provide support and guidance to local businesses in Waltham Forest.
You can sign up to our email newsletter with up-to-date information about Covid-19 below.
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