Govt Small Business Grants Fund

[ImagineerTom]

Hi all

 

We've just been officially rejected for the grant "because people don't come to your property specifically for the purposes of leisure" (we are essentially an equipment hire company!) and that's that. We're aware that this is a contradiction of a question specifically answered by the chancellor (

) and obviously are preparing a formal appeal but it would be useful to know if any other members here who are "equipment hire companies" have been successful so that as part of the response we can say "XYZ councils have deemed The Big spotlight rental co as a valid recipient" to hopefully push them to reconsider.

 

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[Stuart91]

I saw a facebook post from King Sound Reinforcement that seems to indicate that they were successful.

 

One of the problems with leaving it to local councils to implement is that they won't all be consistent with how the rules are applied. Best of luck with it.

[Stuart91]

The PSA say here that they're looking to hear from companied in your position:

 

We’d like to hear from companies that have been successful in getting business rate relief and/or grants from their local authorities; we also need to hear from people who have been turned away.

[ImagineerTom]

The PSA say here that they're looking to hear from companied in your position:

 

We'd like to hear from companies that have been successful in getting business rate relief and/or grants from their local authorities; we also need to hear from people who have been turned away.

 

Brilliant thank you - I've emailed them

[lightsource]

To ALL company owners / directors etc.

There is a facebook page called Production Company Owners - Discussion Forum.

https://www.facebook...=group_activity

I urge anyone who is in financial difficulty, or struggling to get grants / loans they are entitled to, to join this group. PSA are also there.

There's a lot of us in the same boat, and it's sinking fast for some.

[csg]

As our rateable value is only £9000 I applied for the small business grant and have been successful. Our premises are warehousing for production equipment. As far as I am aware, the £25,000 leisure industry grant only applies if your premises are used directly for entertainment, retail or catering.

The grant is not a lot, but better than nothing. No money has appeared yet, apparently that should be with us over “the next few weeks”..

[jacethebase]

I own and operate a small production company based out of a £9000PA Unit in somerset (mendip council) I done the simple online application form for the £10,000 SBRR grant on the 6th April. We had the money in our bank in full by the 16 April.

[ImagineerTom]

PSA have come through with a very comprehensive step by step guide to applying including answers / corrections to give when councils say no and references to specific clauses to use as a rebuttal. We've used it to appeal.

[Pete McCrea]

We run Production AV out of a warehouse in Cheltenham under Cheltenham Borough Council. We’ve been awarded the rates holiday and £25k grant as we sit in the £15k -£50k rates value band.

 

Did take a letter alongside the forms they required. We made it clear on the number of leisure events that we are a key part of the supply chain for, and also how any manner of the public can rock up to our warehouse and hire kit or buy consumables.

[kerry davies]

On the subject of grants, those of you in England could spend an hour checkingTHIS out.

 

Nothing is certain but they are asking for applications from "those whose primary role is to create, present or support one (or more) of these genres or sub genres, then you are eligible to apply to Recovery Grants." The list of genres is incredibly wide and diverse. Again the PSA is seeking more detail but there is no harm in familiarising with the programme.

 

Venues like Ynot's create, present and support so may have more than one possible approach open to them. I haven't studied it so don't shout if it isn't available to everyone.

Edited July 30, 2020 by kerry davies

[ImagineerTom]

It has potential - the one immediate complication is that across all the facets of the scheme (grants and loans through various industry sectors) you can only APPLY once so we are currently trying to work out whether we should apply as a theatre operator, music venue, producers, equipment rental business or international specialist / “crown jewel” And whether we want a grant or a loan.

 

Fingers crossed but like everything in this they’ve managed to make things needlessly complicated and not fully understood the sector they are helping.

[kerry davies]

Being a fanatical Taffy I am very one-eyed when it comes to my country but this English scheme is promising £500M while the WAG equivalent is £53M or more than twice as much per capita. The way England is managing, or rather not managing, this £5.7Bn smells more and more like there is no £5.7bn of new money just as the alleged £30Bn turned into £300M overnight.

 

For those interested, the PSA has brought together the PMs and Tour Managers to create some guidance, available here. Although these are touring suggestions and open to comment they might provide food for thought in theatre and other realms.

[Ynot]

Venues like Ynot's create, present and support so may have more than one possible approach open to them. I haven't studied it so don't shout if it isn't available to everyone.

Yep - we're already on this looking at what we can apply for. :)

[ImagineerTom]

Arts council scheme criteria released today.

 

Vague enough terms that most rental companies should in theory qualify ("business's in support of performances") but...

 

No funding for any cinema activity (have to apply through BFI scheme) so venues re-opening as cinemas don't qualify.

Can be used by comedy clubs and music venues (provided they meet the financial criteria below)

Have to provide accounts that prove you're a viable business before covid

Have to show that you will be viable / self sufficient from April 2021 - very implicit that you can only apply once to any and all schemes

Can ONLY get funds for day to day operational costs and restart costs october-march. No refinancing, no backdated costs, no capital purchases, nothing that falls outside this window.

Minimum payment level of £50k (so if you don't have day-to-day operating costs of at least £100k/year you don't qualify)

Weighted towards business's that have /not/ received any of the other covid grant schemes

Applications have to be through the Grantium portal (which is a nightmare to operate) with a very small application window

Results announced mid september

Payments come in october.

 

depending on the size of application and sector there's different committees and process's as to how application will be judged

[kerry davies]

PSA, Music Venue Trust and other UK Live Music trade associations are running webinars from a funding consultant in the coming week so check your trade association for details. One is purely to deal with Grantium which, as Tom writes, is apparently very tricky. This window is ridiculously short of duration so don't delay.