Ipswich firms urged to sign up for share of £26.5m coronavirus funding
Hannah Huntly and Beth Cook of Applaud Coffee have already taken advantage of the scheme Picture: CONTRIBUTED - Credit: Archant
Council bosses are urging businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak to apply for support grants - with an estimated 900 firms yet to have signed up.
Ipswich Borough Council (IBC) have received £26.5million in government funding to help individuals, clubs and organisations stay afloat during lockdown.
All businesses IBC may be eligible for a grant have been sent letters detailing how to apply for funding.
More than 2,000 firms in Ipswich qualify for grants of £10,000 or £25,000 from the recently-introduced Small Business Grant Fund or the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund.
So far, 1,316 businesses have been paid a total of £15.4million from the pot - but IBC are continuing to ask companies to sign up to the scheme.
Hannah Huntly and Beth Cook, who manage Applaud Coffee in St Peter’s Street, received the money in their account in just eight days.
The pair said: “As a small Ipswich business, although our coffee shops are closed we still have some costs.
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“Our staff are furloughed - however, we will need to pay them for this month at the end of April, and there will be a delay in us receiving financial support from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
“Now that we have received the Business Support Grant, we have sufficient funds.
“We are feeling well supported by both the government and Ipswich Borough Council.
“Applaud Coffee would like to say a big thank you to all who have been working behind the scenes to help small businesses like us.”
You can find out more about the funding here.
