COLCHESTER'S hospitality businesses missed out on almost £500,000 of grants.

The Government offered support for the industries which had been so badly hit by the Covid pandemic.

Councils were entrusted to provide one off grants of up to £6,000 for firms in the hospitality and leisure sector.

But figures just released showed Colchester businesses received £1,066,224 out of the £1,548,081 available.

That was 68 per cent of the money allocated in the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme.

A spokesperson for Colchester Council said: “We have worked incredibly hard within the deadline set by the Government to promote and distribute the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant, helping to provide much-needed support to businesses during the pandemic.

“The amount of money made available was based on a Government estimate of local need and required businesses to apply within a limited timeframe.

"The council was only able to give money to those who applied and met the Government’s strict criteria of eligibility.”

Across the country, businesses received less than half of the £635 million support package pledged by the Government to combat the effects of Omicron.