Enfield Council is waiving rental payments for local organisations that lease properties in Council owned buildings for the period 25 March to 23 June to ease the impact of coronavirus on the community.
Eligible organisations are locally based small and medium sized retail, hospitality and light industrial businesses, occupying Council owned buildings under a lease, and locally based registered charities, sports clubs and social enterprises with similar arrangements.
The move will cost the borough between £1.22 and £1.52m. Organisations that have already paid part or all of the costs will receive a full refund.
Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement, Cllr Mary Maguire, said: “We acknowledge that we are in unprecedented times and businesses and other organisations are struggling to cope with the ongoing effects of the coronavirus outbreak.
“From the moment the magnitude of this crisis affecting the United Kingdom became clear, we were determined to support our local economy. Waiving these fees is the correct and proportionate thing to do under the circumstances.
“It will give those businesses and community organisations that rent property from us, and meet the criteria, a little breathing space, ease their financial burden and help them to get back on a firm footing as rapidly as possible once the lockdown ends and life begins to return to normal.
“Many of the organisations to benefit provide vital services to residents. The Council’s decision is in many ways an investment in the future of the borough and demonstrates our commitment to the principles of our Enfield Stands Together Campaign.”
The measure builds on the £46 million of business rate relief Enfield Council has already distributed to eligible businesses in the borough.
The Council’s efforts have also meant that more than 63 per cent (double the national average) of all eligible businesses in Enfield have now received financial assistance direct into their bank accounts, through the Small Business Grant Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund.
A significant amount of funding is still available to those businesses who have not applied for business rate relief, details of which can be found here.
You can find out more about the support Enfield Council is providing businesses here.
You can find out more about the Enfield Stands Together Campaign heEnfield Stands Togetherre and you can donate to the borough’s Just Giving pageto help raise money for vital food supplies for the borough’s most vulnerable residents.
