The grant schemes provided by the Council for hospitality and leisure businesses affected by the Omicron variant during the pandemic have now closed. Information on grants that the government may offer is listed below.

Managing COVID-19 risks

Businesses are encouraged to consider sensible precautions and controls to protect their employees and customers.

This could include displaying posters and reminders for customers and/or employees to continue to wear a face covering when entering your business or within certain areas of your business.

‘Working Safely’ guidance has been updated to provide examples of sensible precautions that employers can take to reduce risk in their workplaces. 

When to self-isolate

Further guidance on when to self isolate can be found at when to self-isolate and what to do - Coronavirus (COVID-19) - NHS.

Government support and advice for businesses

There is lots of COVID-19 advice, guidance and support for businesses and employers including business rate relief, business grants and loans.

• Coronavirus financial support for businesses
• Coronavirus business advice
• Coronavirus guidance for employers and businesses to help them get their businesses back up and running and workplaces operating as safely as possible.

Local business support from SEMLEP’s Growth Hub

SEMLEP’s Growth Hub is a government-funded local business support service.

Its business advisers can help you to navigate the current COVID-19 financial support measures and official guidance, and help you to work through options if you are not eligible for the Government schemes.

They can support you directly on your business continuity planning and overall business resilience.

Email growthhub@semlep.com or call 0300 01234 35.

Lateral flow testing in the workplace 

Find more information about lateral flow testing.

Employee vaccine toolkit

Public Health England has produced a toolkit containing information and various media to help employers support their workforce in the push for getting people vaccinated. The kit contains Q&A documents, messaging, an employer briefing sheet and many other useful tools and is available at: Employer Toolkit - Coronavirus Resource centre 

Resources for businesses 

Posters (PDFs) that can be used in business premises:

• Stay apart floor arrows
• Stay apart floor feet
• Maximum room occupancy
• Max number of people permitted at any one time
• Follow the arrows right 
• Follow the arrows left
• Hands, face, space, fresh air (landscape)
• Hands, face, space, fresh air (portrait)

Please email us at covid19business@bedford.gov.uk if your query cannot be answered by the guidance above.