Restaurant owners left in the cold by NSW government grant snub

A small business support grant was announced for NSW last Tuesday in response to Greater Sydney’s snap two week lockdown.

However, thousands of small businesses in NSW are not eligible with some saying their ineligibility defies logic.

Small businesses and hospitality venues that bring in more than $75,000 per annum, will receive $10,000 if they have seen a reduction in turnover due to the sudden lockdown. An annual wages bill below $10 million as at July 1, 2020 is also required as proof.

Unfortunately, those businesses making less than $75,000 or are less than 12 months old are not eligible for the grant.

Restaurant owner of Uma, Curry and Roti, Ravi Prasad is one of the unlucky ones that won’t qualify for the support.

Prasad only opened his restaurant in March and is earning less than $75,000.

“It’s just terrible. I’m flabbergasted,” he told news.com.au. “It defies logic.”

“The government policy is to kick you while you’re down.”

Mr Prasad was just two weeks away from recouping the losses incurred in making the restaurant operational.

He now has no support at all.

To access the scheme, hospitality vendors will require an ABN in NSW or evidence that operations are based primarily in NSW.

You can find full guidelines for the grants on the ServiceNSW website soon.

Irit Jackson, 5th July 2021