Local MP, Caroline Dinenage joined a business in her Gosport Constituency today to welcomed new statistics showing the huge Government support to individuals and businesses in Gosport.
Celebrating the reopening of the newly refurbished bar and restaurant at the historic Anglesey Hotel located in Gosport’s beautiful Terrace, Caroline remarked on the unprecedented package of Government support her constituency has seen over recent months, which includes:
- 11500 workers furloughed through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
- 3200 self-employed people supported via the Self-employment Income Scheme accessing £9,800,000 worth of Government grants, which do not need to be paid back
- 977 local businesses offered government-backed Bounce Back Loans worth a total of £25,589,401, in addition to offers of 57 government-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme facilities
- 438 local business in the retail, hospitality and leisure sector and 9 nurseries will pay no business rates this year
- 1105 local business have received cash grants of up to £25,000
The Anglesey Hotel is one of the companies that has taken advantage of the Bounce Back Loan scheme - using part of the money to help stylishly refurbish the bar and restaurant area. They have also benefitted from the Job Retention (Furlough) scheme and are current taking part in the Eat Out To Help Out Scheme which offers a 50% discount on food and non-alcoholic drinks to customers from Monday to Wednesday throughout August.
Owner Ray Bezani said:
“It was great to use the Bounce Back Loan for exactly what it was intended for (to stimulate the economy).
“So not only is there now a great new venue in Gosport but in addition, thousands of pounds have been spent in the local economy generating work and wages during what was otherwise a completely stagnant period.”
Caroline said:
“It’s a great pleasure to see an incoming local business like the Anglesey Hotel emerging from the Covid crisis with such positivity, taking full advantage of the support available and demonstrating a great passion to continue serving the local community. Huge credit to Ray and his team”
“I know from talking to local businesses that the unprecedented Government support has been a lifeline for so many, keeping them afloat through the Covid crisis and helping them emerge from it”
As of 30 June, in England more than 7.6 million jobs had been supported under the furlough scheme and 2.2 million self-employment claims had been made.
As of 02 August, the government has helped 1.2 million employers to furlough 9.6 million workers and as of 19 July has supported over 2.7 million self-employed individuals across the UK. Bounce Back Loans have been approved to 1.1 million small businesses, and over 58,000 loan facilities have been approved through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.
In the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors and via the Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund, as of 05 July 2020, over an estimated 902,000 business premises in England have received grants worth up to £25,000, and approximately 373,000 ratepayers will pay no business rates for the whole of 2020-21. Nurseries in England will also not pay rates for 2020-21.