I have said from the beginning that I wanted all COVID-19 restrictions to be lifted as soon as it was safe to do so, and I welcome the Government’s decision last to remove Plan B restrictions following the success of the booster programme.
As announced last week, people are no longer advised to work from home and children are no longer required to wear face marks in the classroom. And, from today, COVID passes, and face coverings will no longer be mandatory in certain indoor settings.
This is brilliant news, but it is worth remembering that it is only possible due to the sacrifices we have all made. Our community has stepped up and got boosted, while our amazing vaccinators have worked tirelessly alongside the country’s incredible scientists and medics. We are finding our way out of this, and we’re leading the world in doing so.
While I am hopeful for the future, there is no doubt that many of our fantastic local businesses in Sevenoaks have faced challenging times.
Having raised the difficulties our local hospitality, leisure and accommodation sector faced over Christmas due to the Omicron variant with Ministers, I am pleased £1 billion of targeted financial grant support was made available by the Government to protect jobs and businesses. And now, with huge thanks to the fantastic team at Sevenoaks District Council, applications are open for one off cash grants for businesses in the hospitality and leisure sectors depending on rateable value.
Throughout the pandemic, Sevenoaks District Council has been excellent in getting business grants to business owners as soon as possible – with millions of pounds provided in support for our business community since March 2020.
The deadline for applications is 5pm on Thursday 10 February 2022, and for more details on the funding available and the eligibility please visit: https://www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/omicronsupport.
If any business owners have any questions, Kent and Medway Business Growth Hub are also available to advise. They can be reached at: https://www.kentandmedwaygrowthhub.org.uk/.
Our local businesses play a key role in making Sevenoaks such a wonderful place to live and work, and I hope businesses will come forward, engage with Sevenoaks District Council and tap into these cash grants, which will help to cover costs and protect jobs.
Championing our local businesses stands as a central pillar of my work as your MP, and I will continue to ensure their voices are heard in Westminster.
