Funding for outdoor dining for businesses in County Wicklow
Applications for funding under the Outdoor Seating and Accessories for Tourism and Hospitality Business Scheme open today (Monday).
The key aim of the scheme is to provide support to individual hospitality and tourism businesses towards the cost of equipment to provide additional outdoor seating and facilitate individual businesses to increase their outdoor dining capacity for the summer of 2021.
In order to place furniture in public places, applicants must firstly have applied for and been granted a Section 254 licence by Wicklow County Council. The Section 254 licence fee has been waived for table and chair street furniture applications in 2021.
Further information and application form can be found at www.wicklow.ie
Failte Ireland in partnership with local authorities across the country is working to assist town centre hospitality businesses to increase their outdoor seating capacity. The aim is to support jobs and businesses with a town centre focus while providing a safe environment for shoppers and diners.
Cllr Pat Kennedy, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, welcomed the Failte Ireland funding for the enhancement of outdoor seating and dining saying “It is more important than ever to support local businesses and the hospitality sector, by shopping locally, dining locally and staying locally. This scheme will help our local restaurants, coffee shops and food providers to accommodate outdoor dining as businesses begin to re-open and will help to bring vibrancy back into our towns”.
Mr Frank Curran, Chief Executive, Wicklow County Council, welcomed the scheme which he said was aimed at assisting those businesses who have been badly affected by COVID restrictions “This scheme is the result of strong partnership and collaboration between Fáilte Ireland and local authorities and will add to the range of supports already available through Wicklow County Council and the Local Enterprise Office”, he stated.
Applications open on Monday, 12th April 2021 and will remain open until 30th September 2021.