Businesses which have been forced to close down or limit trading during the second coronavirus lockdown can now apply for the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme via Cornwall Council.

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Cornwall has been allocated £11.4m by the Government for the scheme, designed to support businesses with fixed ongoing costs such as rent or mortgage payments,?loans or lease agreements for capital equipment or?rental of workspaces (such as at salons).??

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Full details are available at www.cornwall.gov.uk/BusinessSupportGrant ??and businesses have until 5pm on Monday, November 30 to apply.

The cash is aimed at those who have been ineligible for other streams of finding. Those who could receive a grant of?up to £3,000?include?businesses which:??

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• Are?Cornwall?based and owned???

• Have been forced to shut and are not business rate registered

• Have significantly reduced trading as a result of the national lockdown between Thursday 5 November and Wednesday 2 December

• Are ineligible for the Government’s new Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG)*?

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Tim Dwelly,?Cornwall Council cabinet member for culture, economy and planning?said:?“We know how hard this lockdown has been for many businesses. Our priority with the Additional Restrictions Grant is to support eligible businesses which have previously been unable to access any other form of Government coronavirus grant support.?Once these claims have been processed and paid, we may then consider applications from eligible businesses which have previously received grant support.”

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“We have put in place a policy which will fairly distribute the funding working within the expectations outlined by the Government in allocating this money.”?

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“In order to target the money to those businesses that need it the most,?our policy supports businesses which have fixed ongoing costs?–commitments that are essential to their survival.”?

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“This means we are unable to accept applications?to cover costs such as labour or wages as there are other forms of Government support?available, such as the furlough scheme and?Self Employment Income Support Scheme.?We are also unable to support applications from second homes (including where these are occasionally let out).”??

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Mark Duddridge, Chair of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “We know of many businesses that for one reason or another have so far fallen through the net when it comes to grant support to help them through the pandemic. I would urge any business that fits this description to check their eligibility for this new scheme and apply without delay.”

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Businesses can also find out more about other support available by contacting the Growth Hub.? Their service is free, independent and impartial and their friendly team of locally based experts work directly with businesses to help identify and access the support they need no matter what their circumstances.? Contact Growth Hub on 01209 708 660 from 9am until 5pm, Monday to Friday, or visit the website for a webchat with the team or to request a call back.?www.ciosgrowthhub.com??

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