A COUNCIL leader has urged business owners to get in touch for support amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) are offering support with business rates and distributing business grants to help closed businesses to get through covid-19.

Councillor Nick Adams-King, deputy leader of TVBC, said businesses will receive a sum of money directly in their bank account, depending on the size of the business and property.

Cllr Adams-King said: "Retail, leisure, hospitality and private childcare facilities in premises with a rateable value under £15,000 will receive a small business grant of £10,000.

"Those in premises with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000 receive a grant of £25,000.

"Business rates for all retail, leisure and hospitality businesses have also been removed, regardless of the rateable value of their premises."

He added: "We are arranging for business rates bills to be updated urgently so those businesses know not to pay their first business rates instalments on April 1. We are cancelling all direct debit arrangements for those businesses if they have been set up."

Cllr Nick Adams-King is urging small businesses to come forward and show they are eligible for the small grant.

He predicts 1,800 businesses are eligible for this, which is a total sum of £18million given to support businesses across the Test Valley.

He said: "If you are eligible for this, call 01264 368000, or email businessrates@testvalley.gov.uk

"£10,000 can go quite a long way to help smaller businesses until things get back to normal - especially if they cannot open at all."

Cllr Adams-King said once the money is given to Test Valley Borough Council, a lot of the bigger businesses and some of the smaller will see the money put straight into their bank accounts - however - they do not have some smaller businesses' bank accounts.

This is why he is urging them to come forward amid Coronavirus.