Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant (OHLG)

The Omicron hospitality and leisure grant (OHLG) provides support to hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses in England. This is in recognition that the rise of the Omicron variant means that some businesses are likely to struggle.

To be eligible your business must offer in-person services where the main service and activity takes place in a fixed rate-paying premises, in the hospitality, leisure and accommodation sectors.

The following eligibility criteria will apply:

• You must be registered as a business rates payer in Gateshead on 30 December 2021
• You were trading from your premises in Gateshead on 30 December 2021
• The business has not exceeded the permitted state-aid and subsidy thresholds
• The business must not be in administration, insolvent or where a striking off notice has been made 

For the purpose of the OHLG scheme, a hospitality business can be defined as a business whose main function is to provide a venue for the consumption and sale of food and drink.

The following types of businesses are excluded from the definition of a hospitality business for this scheme:

• Food kiosks
• A business whose main service (generating 50% or more of income) is a takeaway

For the purpose of the OHLG scheme, a leisure business can be defined as a business that provides opportunities, experiences and facilities, in particular for culture, recreation, entertainment, celebratory events and days and nights out.

The following types of business are excluded from the definition of a leisure business for this scheme:

• Retail businesses
• Coach tour operators
• Tour operators

• Gyms and sports businesses where physical exercise or training is conducted on an individual basis or group basis

For the purpose of the OHLG scheme, an accommodation business can be defined as a business whose main lodging provision is used for holiday, travel or other purposes.

The following types of businesses are excluded from the definition of accommodation for this scheme:

• Private dwellings
• Education accommodation
• Residential home
• Care home
• Residential family centres
• Beach huts

Visit Gov.UK (opens new window) for further guidance.

Grant award level

The one-off grant payment award is dependant on the rateable value of the rated business premises as at 30 December 2021. The grant amount are as follows: 

Subsidy allowance

This scheme is covered by three possible subsidy allowances:

• Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance - you're allowed up to £335,000 (subject to exchange rates) in Small Amounts of Financial Assistance over any rolling period of three financial years
• COVID-19 Business Grant Allowance - under this allowance you're allowed up to £1,900,000 across all COVID-19 Business Grant schemes. This may be combined with the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance to equal £2,235,000 (subject to certain conditions - see the full guidance).
• COVID-19 Business Grant Special Allowance - if you have reached your limits under the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance and COVID-19 Business Grant Allowance, you may be able to access a further allowance of funding under these scheme rules of up to £10,000,000 across all COVID-19 Business Grant schemes

Grants under these three allowances can be combined for a potential total allowance of up to £12,235,000 (subject to exchange rates).

If your business could be subject to the Northern Ireland Protocol, these Allowances may vary under the State aid rules.

Before applying for the grant, please check the full subsidy guidance (opens new window) to ensure that you meet the various conditions and are within the appropriate limits to receive the grant payment.

Important information

The local authority administer the scheme on behalf of government and the closing date for the Omicron Hospitality, Leisure and Accommodation grant is Friday 18th March 2022.

The application form will close on midnight of Friday 18th March 2022 and we will not be able to accept applications made after this time.

We may require additional information to confirm you meet the eligibility criteria which we will request from you via the email address provided in your application for example insurance at the premises covering in service trading, proof confirming bookings made and payment received for services. Failure to provide information will mean that we will be unable to confirm eligibility and therefore no grant payment can be made.

Government has also advised that pre-payment checks are required before a grant payment can be released. This will mean that business and banking detail checks will be carried out which will delay payments being issued.