Finance Minister Announces Extension Of Omicron Hospitality Payment

The Omicron Hospitality Payment has been extended to include soft play businesses as well as inflatable and trampoline parks, Finance Minister, Conor Murphy, has announced.

The move will see venues each receive a one-off £10,000 payment if they have a café on the premises. Making the announcement during a visit to Funky Monkeys in Belfast, Minister Murphy said: "Food services are an important source of revenue for many leisure businesses such as soft play facilities and inflatable and trampoline parks. These venues saw reduced visitor numbers over the Christmas period due to Omicron and were impacted in the same way as other hospitality businesses. I am therefore extending the Omicron Hospitality Payment to provide them with support."

Minister Murphy continued: "These businesses are an integral part of our communities. They provide a fun space for families and children to enjoy while making a vital contribution employing many people locally.

"My Department has supported them over the last two years with a rates holiday as well as Covid grants. And while business support is not within my Department's remit, I am glad to once again step up to deliver financial assistance. I hope this additional £10,000 will help these businesses as we continue on the road to better days ahead."

Land & Property Services will email soft play, inflatable and trampoline parks that received payment under the Localised Restrictions Support Scheme (LRSS) to ask them to verify their details to enable the Omicron Hospitality Payment to be made. Payments will be £10,000 per business.

If there has been no change in a business's circumstances, the payment should be with the business within 7 to 10 working days of their application, depending on how long the payment takes to clear through the banking system. If circumstances have changed, Land & Property Services will need to carry out some further validation checks and gather some additional information, which will require additional time to process.

New soft play, inflatable and trampoline parks or those that had not previously applied to the LRSS can apply by downloading an application form on the www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/coronavirus-omicron-hospitality-payment.