Businesses in Sidmouth are being encouraged to take advantage of the second round of the Government's Discretionary Grant Fund.

The second round will be open for online applications from 12 noon on July 6 to 5pm on July 17.

Businesses such as local food and drink producers and other suppliers to retail, hospitality and leisure organisations are being encouraged to apply.

The first round of funding saw 190 applications. These applicants will be contacted by East Devon District Council in the coming days and advised whether they have been successful or not, or whether they need to provide more information.

In this second round, applicants do not need to be registered for business rates. Applicants will need to provide evidence of high ongoing fixed property costs of at least £200 per calendar month and provide evidence which shows the business has suffered a major fall in income due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Grants range from £1,000, £2,500, £5,000, £10,000 and £25,000 for businesses which meet the eligibility criteria. The following business types will be prioritised for funding support, in line with Government requirements:

-Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces, e.g. industrial parks, science parks, incubators etc, which do not have their own business rates assessment.

-Regular market traders who do not have their own business rates assessment.

-Bed and Breakfasts which pay council Tax instead of business rates.

-Charity properties in receipt of Charitable Business Rates Relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief.

In addition to these national fund priorities, the council has decided that it will accept applications from local businesses which meet the Government eligibility criteria and:

-Fall within the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors or can evidence the majority of their customer base are retail, hospitality and leisure businesses

-Are classified as a language school

-Considered a special case where the business is most relevant and crucial to the East Devon economy.

Businesses not eligible for this funding include:

-Businesses which were not trading on 11 March 2020.

-Businesses currently in administration or insolvent, or where a striking-off notice has been made.

-Businesses eligible for other Government funding schemes (EXCEPT Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the self"employed income support scheme).

Businesses should ensure they have the corresponding supporting documents at hand before starting the application, including bank statement for March, April or May 2020. Other supporting information may be needed for certain business-types, including latest company accounts, HMRC tax return, tenancy agreement.

Officers at the council will be working as quickly as possible to process the claims and cannot respond to each business with individual updates, so businesses are asked to remain patient and a response will reach you as soon as possible.