Swansea businesses benefit from almost £100m support during pandemic

BUSINESSES in Swansea have received almost £100m in support during the coronavirus crisis from Swansea Council and Welsh and UK Government schemes.

More than 4,000 businesses in Swansea have shared £50m in funding under the Welsh Government’s Business Grant scheme which was administered by Swansea Council.

Retail shops, hairdressers, gyms, restaurants, cafes and more received cash pay-outs of up to £25,000.

Around 2,000 smaller businesses in Swansea also had their business rates scrapped this year as part of a scheme worth up to £35m.

Additional grants of up to £8,000 are helping restaurants, bars and cafés re-open safely and serve food outside and more than 170 applications have been or are being processed.

Swansea Council has also removed licensing costs for tables and chairs on city centre pavements outside cafes, bars and restaurants.

In the early days of the lockdown, the council moved quickly to strike a deal with Debenhams to defer its business rates and help secure its long-term future in Swansea.

Meanwhile, £200,000 in subsidies are being provided to help Swansea Market traders in the countdown to Christmas.

Grants of up to £2,500 have been available to small start-up businesses in Swansea as part of a Welsh Government scheme.

A £2m support package has helped the operators of key council-owned leisure services through the pandemic including the LC, Plantasia and community leisure centres.

Businesses across Swansea say the support has been a real lifeline in these difficult times.

Russell Greenslade, Chief Executive of Swansea BID, said:

“The support that we’ve had from business grants, the business rates scheme, the outdoor grants, the list goes on, has been absolutely fantastic.

“Foot flow is certainly recovering and it is testament to the support that we’ve had from Swansea Council and the Welsh and UK Governments, coupled with the support we have provided to our stakeholders to ensure they knew the right information at the right time.”

Cllr Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council, said:

“We’ve worked with Welsh and UK Governments to provide thousands of businesses in Swansea with support amounting to almost £100m.

“This has helped to make sure many businesses have remained viable and were able to survive the coronavirus crisis and this, in turn, will have protected the livelihoods of many thousands of people by keeping them in jobs.”