LISTEN: "Frustration" as site for Stormont's £25,000 covid-19 business grant scheme crashes

By Q Radio News

The Northern Ireland executive has today launched a grant scheme to support businesses in the retail, hospitality, tourism and leisure sectors.

Those eligible can apply for a grant of £25,000, which is aimed at easing cash flow problems as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. 

However, the website which firms use to apply for the scheme crashed within minutes of going live this morning.

The site was due to process thousands of applications but many people going online this morning were met with an error message. 

The online application for Stormont's £25,000 business grant scheme appears to have crashed minutes after going live this morning. It's understood to be due to a surge in demand from companies wanting support through the Coronavirus lockdown. This is the message many are seeing. pic.twitter.com/AQa12uVTxP

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) April 20, 2020

Ken Sharp from the Salty Dog Hotel and Bistro and the Boathouse Restaurant in Bangor described the application process as "frustrating" after encountering a number of issues. 

He told Q Radio he started the application process at 8am this morning but didn't finish until 11am as the site crashed a total of six times throughout. 

"We are desperate to get money to staff as many of them accepted not quite all of what they should have been paid, in order to allow me to have a fund to help support staff with emergencies. 

"So staff really pulled together, helped me and helped each other but they are getting desperate. 

"We need to get some money in the account."

Applications for a one-off £25,000 grant for businesses in the retail, hospitality, tourism and leisure sectors are now open

To apply visit https://t.co/Pk6q0sVBT2

Deadline for applications is Monday 20 May 2020#COVID19 pic.twitter.com/ag9CS9yuFR

— Economy NI (@Economy_NI) April 20, 2020

Meanwhile, Economy Minister Diane Dodds is urging eligible businesses to apply. 

She said, “I am pleased to announce that the £25,000 grant scheme for businesses in the retail, hospitality, tourism and leisure sectors is now open for applications.

"The scheme will run over the next month and will deliver much needed funds to ease the cash flow problems of some of our hardest hit businesses.

“I assure businesses that as soon as applications have been verified, the grant will be paid – we will not be waiting until the end of the application process before starting to process payments.

“I urge anyone who thinks they are eligible for support under this scheme to visit nibusinessinfo and start the process now.”

“The £25,000 grant scheme is the latest support measure put in place to support local businesses following the small business support scheme, which has now issued over 16,300 payments of £10,000 to eligible local businesses and which is also now open to those eligible for industrial de-rating.”

“A budget has been identified for a further scheme and we are examining how to deliver this money to where it is so desperately needed. We will look to address as many of the gaps as we can.”