Covid: Hospitality businesses face support payment delay

Hospitality venues in Northern Ireland must operate with table service only

The application process for the £40m Omicron Hospitality Payment fund has been delayed.

More than 3,000 eligible hospitality operators were told they would be contacted this week to start the process.

But the Department of Finance said it has now been pushed back to next week.

A spokesperson told BBC News NI that "financial regulations are currently being finalised to enable the Omicron Hospitality Payment to be made".

"Land and Property Services will contact eligible businesses directly next week (week commencing 17 January) to ask them to confirm their details to enable the Omicron Hospitality Payment to be made," they added.

"Payments will be issued as quickly as possible once businesses have submitted the necessary information."

The one-off grants were to help those who have experienced losses or cancellations due to restrictions in the run-up to Christmas, usually one of the busiest times of the year for the industry.

Nightclubs have also been closed since 26 December.

• Executive agrees Covid-19 support for hospitality

• Nightclubs in NI to close from 26 December

More than 3,200 businesses will be eligible under the Omicron Hospitality Payment.

The amounts will be as follows:

• £10,000 for businesses with a rateable value up to £15,000

• £15,000 for businesses with a rateable value between £15,001 to £51,000

• £20,000 for businesses with a rateable value over £51,000

Land and Property Services will contact those who received support from the Localised Restrictions Support Scheme (LRSS) directly.

The closure of nightclubs was among a number of measures announced by Northern Ireland ministers last month

Hospitality businesses which did not receive support from the Localised Restrictions Support Scheme, who would have been eligible for LRSS based on their current circumstances, will also have the opportunity to apply through an application portal.