Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant - now open

On 21st December 2021 the Government announced an additional £1 billion in support for businesses, recognising that the rise of the Omicron variant means some businesses are likely to struggle over the coming weeks.

The first of these grants is the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant.

The Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant is being administered by Fareham Borough District Council and will support hospitality, leisure, and accommodation businesses which have been impacted by the Omicron variant.

The scheme will provide eligible Fareham based companies with a one-off grant based on the rateable value of their business on 30 December 2021. Grants range from £2,667 to £6,000.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible to apply, applicants must:

Have been trading on 30 December 2021
Be the liable party for business rates on 30 December 2021
Offer in-person services within the required sectors
Have at least 50% of business activity within the following sectors (see below for more detail):
- Hospitality – For the purposes of this scheme, a hospitality business can be defined as a business whose main function is to provide a venue for the consumption and sale of food and drink.
- Leisure – For the purposes of this scheme, a leisure business can be defined as a business that provides opportunities, experiences and facilities, in particular for culture, recreation, entertainment, celebratory events and days and nights out.
- Accommodation – For the purposes of this scheme, an accommodation business can be defined as a business whose main lodging provision is used for holiday, travel or other purposes

How to apply:

Eligible businesses must complete and submit a new online application form by the deadline of Wednesday 16 February 2022, regardless of previous grants applied for. This is because the Government has asked councils to collect a new application form for each Omicron Grant considered. Application Form

If you are not eligible, please complete an expression of interest and we will contact you as other grants are announced. Expression of Interest

Types of business and their definitions

Hospitality:

A business whose main function is to provide a venue for the consumption and sale of food and drink.

Eligibility will be assessed using these criteria:

Businesses offering in-person food and drink services to the general public.
Businesses that provide food and/or drink to be consumed on the premises, including outdoors.

Accommodation:

A business whose main lodging provision is used for holiday, travel and other purposes.

Eligibility will be assessed using these criteria:

Businesses that provide accommodation for 'away from home' stays for work or leisure purposes.
Businesses that provide accommodation for short-term leisure and holiday purposes.

Leisure:

A business that provides opportunities, experiences and facilities, in particular for culture, recreation, entertainment, celebratory events and days and nights out.

Eligibility will be assessed using these criteria:

Businesses that may provide in-person intangible experiences in addition to goods.

Types of business eligible

This table sets out types of business that are eligible for the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme. This list is not exhaustive, but indicative of the types of business that can be supported under this scheme.

Support type	Type of business eligible
Hospitality	Food courts Public houses/pub restaurants Restaurants	Roadside restaurants Wine bars Cafes
Leisure	Bingo halls Bowling alleys Casinos and gambling clubs Cinemas Ice rinks Museums and art galleries Roller skating rings Stately homes & historic houses Theatres Zoos & safari parks Amusement parks Pleasure piers Pavilions Conference centres Exhibition centres including for use as banquet halls and other events Wedding venues Events venues Heritage railways Public halls Night clubs & discotheques Hostess bars	Sexual entertainment venues Shisha bars, waterpipe consumption venues Arenas Concert halls Go kart rinks Model villages Tourist attractions Aquaria Miniature railways Theme parks Amusement arcades including adult gaming centres Animal attractions at farms Wildlife centres Botanical gardens Circus Visitor attractions at film studios Soft play centres or areas Clubs & institutions Village halls & scout huts, cadet huts etc.
Accommodation	Caravan parks Caravan sites and pitches Chalet parks Coaching inns Country house hotels Guest & boarding houses Hostels Hotels	Lodges Holiday apartments, cottages or bungalows Campsites Boarding houses Canal boats or other vessels B&Bs Catered holiday homes Holiday homes

Types of business excluded

This table sets out types of business that are excluded from the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme.

Support type	Type of business excluded
Retail	Food retailers, including food markets, supermarkets, convenience stores, corners shops, off licences, breweries, pharmacies, chemists, newsagents Building merchants Petrol stations Vehicle repair and MOT services Bicycle shops Taxi and vehicle hire businesses Laundrettes and dry cleaners Medical practices Agricultural supply shops Garden centres Mobility support shops Betting offices Departmental stores Markets (other than livestock) Sales kiosks Showrooms, e.g. kitchen, bathroom, tile, glazing Tobacco and vape stores Antiques stores Sales offices Travel agents Electronic goods and mobile phone shops Clothes shops Book shops Jewellers Stationery shops Gift shops Make-up shops	Animal rescue centres and boarding facilities Veterinary surgeries and pet shops Education providers including tutoring services Banks, building societies and other financial providers Post offices Funeral directors Employment agencies and businesses Office buildings Automatic car washes Storage and distribution facilities Wholesalers Auction rooms Car auction Car showrooms Car supermarkets Car washes (standalone) Car/caravan Sales/display/hiring Sites Charity shops Carpet stores Furniture shops Sofa shops Homeware shops Florists Plant nurseries Animal groomers Sweet shops Photography studios
Hospitality	Businesses whose main service is a takeaway or food kiosk
Leisure	All retail businesses Coach tour operators	Tour operators Telescopes
Accommodation	Private dwellings Education accommodation Residential homes	Care homes Residential family centres Beach huts
Personal care	Businesses that only provide personal care goods, rather than services Businesses used solely as training centres for staff, apprentices and others Businesses providing dental services Opticians Audiology services Spas, sauna and steam rooms Tanning salons Nail salons Massage centres, massage treatments Tattoo and piercing studios Holistic therapy (reflexology, massage, acupuncture)	Chiropody Chiropractors Osteopaths Other medical or health services, including services which incorporate personal care services, treatments required by those with disabilities and services relating to mental health Hairdressing salons Barbers, groomers Beauty salons Beauticians, aesthetics Other non-surgical treatments
Sports and gym	Home gyms Home exercise studios Dance schools and centres Dance studios Gymnasia/fitness suites Cricket centres Ski centres Sports and leisure centres Outdoor sports centres Outdoor adventure centres	Home sports courts Home sports grounds Squash courts Tennis centres Sports courts Swimming pools Shooting and archery venues Driving ranges Water sport centres Golf courses Indoor riding centres

Call our Grants Helpline

If you are not sure if your business is eligible for any of these schemes then please call our Grants Helpline on 01329 824430 or email us at brgrants@fareham.gov.uk. The helpline is open on weekdays between 8:45am and 5.15pm.