This report sets out the decision to amend the Additional Restrictions Grant Fund Scheme.

It is the decision of the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council that an Additional Restrictions Grant Fund Scheme in respect of the Hospitality and Leisure sectors is introduced to support businesses adversely affected by the Omicron variant but ineligible for the Omicron Leisure and Hospitality Grant. Businesses must be located within the Reading Borough Council boundary, trading on 30 December 2021 and declare they were adversely impacted by the COVID-19 Plan B advice and rise in COVID-19 cases.

Grant values will be based on the size of the company and will align with the Omicron Leisure and Hospitality Grant (subject to the number of eligible applications)

No. of Employees Grant Value
More than 50 £6,000
10 – 49 £4,000
0 – 9 £2,667

Discretionary grants are not subject to any formal statutory appeals process and therefore there are no appeal rights.