Northern Ireland Executive unveils £300m business support package

The package includes £150m for rates relief for the sectors worst affected by the pandemic including retail, £3m to help local businesses grow their online sales, and £95m for a High Street Voucher Scheme for a pre-paid card for use on the high street.

In response, Retail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts, said: “This package is very welcome, and we look forward to working with the Executive on refining the detail and its speedy implementation to assist businesses that are hardest hit by Covid-19.

“Retail NI had been lobbying ministers for some time on a High Street Voucher Scheme based upon the Jersey Government initiative and we are pleased that they listened and acted on our proposals. It is vital that this voucher scheme is targeted at independent retailers to ensure the full benefit to the overall economy and is not pocketed by multi-national supermarkets. 70p in every pound spend at an independent retailers is recycled around the economy helping local suppliers, producers and farmers.

“We also want the targeted business rate relief to continue through to the next financial year and we hope to discuss this further with the finance minister.”