Thousands of small businesses in Manchester face ‘collapse’ after the government provided just a third of the funding needed to keep them afloat, leaders have warned.
A ‘top-up’ fund worth an extra £5.4 million has been made available to help firms in the city previously unable to access much-need finances during the coronavirus pandemic.
This includes businesses in shared office spaces, market traders, charities and bed and breakfasts paying council tax instead of business rates.
But the funding has fallen far short of the £18 million that Manchester council had requested from the government to support the 30,000 businesses eligible for support.