It has emerged that Bradford Council has paid out over £219.5 million in Covid-19 business grants since the start of the pandemic.

The authority has issued almost 44-thousand grant payments to local businesses and has paid out more than cities such as Manchester and Sheffield.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning, and Transport, said:

“It’s vitally important we do everything we can to protect local businesses and jobs from the negative impacts of the pandemic and subsequent restrictions.

“We have worked extremely hard to ensure Covid-19 grants get to local firms as soon as possible while making sure all the correct checks are made.

“The Council will continue to strive to support local firms so that the local economic recovery is as strong as it can be.”

The Council’s successful Bradford District Microbusiness Support scheme which has provided advice, training, and support to over 200 small businesses has been extended to 2022 and the authority’s Invest In Bradford team has helped countless local businesses with advice and information over the past year.

The Council has also offered outdoor trading grants to assist the local hospitality sector to extend open-air trading spaces.

It has also delivered several arts-led recovery initiatives and launched the Summer Unlocked programme, a series of events designed to welcome people safely back to public spaces including city and town centres over the summer months.