Nightclubs and Soft Play Areas to benefit from the COVID-19 Contingency Fund

As part of the Scottish Government’s £40m Coronavirus Restriction Fund to support businesses affected by the latest COVID-19 restrictions, there will be a one-off grant offered to nightclubs and soft play centres.

The £11m COVID-19 Contingency Fund is the first phase of business grants, offering one-off grants of up to £50,000 for businesses in both sectors who have been closed by law since March 2020.

Grant thresholds will be determined by the businesses rateable value (RV):

Businesses may be awarded less if they have successfully applied for the Cultural Organisations and Venue Recovery Fund and premises that have opened at all since March will not be eligible for the grant.

There is no application for this funding, instead local authorities will contact eligible businesses shortly to begin the claim process by gathering supporting information. Businesses operating multiple premises will be eligible to claim one full grant plus up to 75% on subsequent properties through the local authority in which your business is headquartered.

You can read more about the COVID-19 Contingency Fund, including the full eligibility criteria, here.

Our EQ Leisure and EQ Healthcare teams are experienced in assisting clients secure funding and are happy to offer support and advice. To discuss your own circumstances, please get in touch with one of our team by calling one of our offices.