COVID-19 Update 27th October 2020

• First Town Deals Announced

The Government has announced the first seven towns of 101 places that will be offered a Town Deal. Between them, these towns will receive £178.8m to support regeneration and economic growth

• • Barrow-in-Furness
  • Blackpool,
  • Darlington
  • Peterborough
  • Norwich
  • Torquay
  • Warrington are the work will now begin with these areas to confirm final funding.

Of particular interest to the tourism industry and the Blackpool and Torquay allocations

Blackpool

£39.5 million to be used to update the Blackpool Illuminations, for a return to tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic, which used to attract 4 million visitors and bring in £284 million a year, and to support the development of the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone

Torquay

£21.9 million to modernise Torquay town centre, transforming it into a retail and leisure destination for people visiting, working and living in the town as well as improving transport links with a new focus on walking and cycling routes

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/first-town-deals-worth-almost-180-million-announced

• Find a Kickstart Gateway

The Government has updated the search function for businesses wanting to employ someone under the KickStart Scheme through a Gateway organisation. The new search function enabled tourism an hospitality businesses to search for a specialist gateway provider for the sector on a regional, national and UK basis

https://secure.dwp.gov.uk/find-a-kickstart-gateway

If you need a refresher on what the Kickstart Scheme is, it provides funding to create new job placements for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long term unemployment. Employers of all sizes can apply for funding which covers:

• 100% of the National Minimum Wage (or the National Living Wage depending on the age of the participant) for 25 hours per week for a total of 6 months
• associated employer National Insurance contributions
• employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions

Here’s a link to the detailed guidance.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-employers-apply-for-a-kickstart-scheme-grant-kickstart-gateway

• Restrictions Relaxed for Pubs and Restaurants in Scotland

The First Minister has announced that pubs and restaurants in level two areas of Scotland will be able to serve alcohol indoors with a meal until 8pm from next Monday.

Pubs and restaurants in level three areas will also be allowed to reopen but must not serve alcohol.

• Return to Recreational Team Sport Framework Updated

DCMS has updated the framework for enabling a return to recreational team sport, highlighting that the framework only applies to sports being undertaken in Medium Alert areas.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation/return-to-recreational-team-sport-framework