National lockdown and local restrictions have had a significant impact on many businesses across Halton and the Liverpool City Region as a whole. Some have benefitted from national support schemes, but others haven’t met the criteria and have not received any financial support.

To address an identified gap, applications are being invited for funding from the previously announced £40m COVID emergency fund to support the hospitality and leisure supply chain, non-essential retail, and self-employed, sole traders, licensed market traders and limited companies based at home who predominantly supply the hospitality and leisure sectors.


The Hospitality, Leisure and Retail Grants (Expanded Scheme) 
will be open for applications that meet the eligibility criteria from 10am on Monday 30 November and close at 5pm on Friday 11 December 2020.

Businesses must be based in the Liverpool City Region (covering the local authority areas of Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral).

Cllr Eddie Jones, portfolio holder for Economic Development at Halton Borough Council, says:  “It has been a very difficult time for everyone, not least our businesses that have been forced to close at various stages throughout this pandemic.

“This latest funding aims to help those businesses that have been unable to access other national support schemes. They play a vital role in supporting our local economy and it’s important that they are supported.”

To find out more about the eligibility criteria and how to apply, go to https://runcorn-widnes.com/emergency-fund-for-hospitality-and-leisure-sector/   from 10am on Monday 30 November.