A COUNCIL has opened applications for new support grants to support businesses during the latest lockdown period.

The new grant, from Darlington Borough Council, will focus on property related costs for businesses forced to close.

There are also new top-up grants of up to £9,000 aimed at the retail and hospitality and leisure sectors.

The grants are available for those businesses required to close, or substantially close, by the imposition of the Tier 4 restrictions for December 31 2020, and the national lockdown from January 5 2021.

Since the start of the Covid-19 crisis, Darlington Borough Council has administered more than £26.5m of grant payments to help local businesses survive the impact of the pandemic.

The newly released support is part of a national package of government measures to help businesses with support towards on-going fixed costs.

Heather Scott, leader of Darlington Borough Council, said: "I am delighted that, within just a few days of the Chancellor’s announcement, we are now in a position to take applications for this support, and would encourage all businesses to follow our dedicated webpage for news of grant updates, as well as keeping in touch with us via our social media to make sure they can remain up-to-date with the business support available.

“The level of support already given to local businesses is staggering and I applaud our teams who have processed these grants. They have responded swiftly and under intense pressure to make sure our local businesses can survive this intensely challenging and fluid trading period.”