Supporting our city businesses

City of Melbourne advertorial

Melbourne businesses are the lifeblood of the city, and the City of Melbourne is offering services to help support businesses affected by COVID-19.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp is encouraging businesses to take up the offers of support from the City of Melbourne.

“Our COVID-19 Business Concierge Hotline is a useful and practical resource for small businesses during this difficult time,” the Lord Mayor said.

“We’ve launched this dedicated phone line so small businesses can call in and find out important information about what support is available and how to access our services.”
“It is staffed by a team of people here at the City of Melbourne who can speak with small business owners directly, offer mentoring and help people through the process to apply for support.”

Business owners can call the COVID-19 Business Concierge Hotline on 9658 9658 between 7.30am and 6pm Monday to Friday and between 10am and 4pm on weekends.

The Lord Mayor said there are more than 16,500 businesses in the City of Melbourne, with 80 per cent of these sole operators, family operations and small firms with just a few employees.
“Real people are being severely impacted. So, we’re doing everything we can to help businesses stay open and keep Melburnians in jobs,” she said.

The City of Melbourne is offering a number of relief and support measures to help local businesses through the coming weeks and months.
The support package includes waiving certain fees, reducing rent for tenants in Council-owned buildings and developing a rates hardship policy.

“The speed and strength of the city’s economic recovery will depend on how well we can sustain and save businesses through this period,” the Lord Mayor said. “We want to understand the needs of businesses. We want to know how we can help. Listening to them is the best way we can effectively respond to this uncertainty together.”

“And when the health crisis is over, we will find a momentous way to celebrate, to welcome people back to our city, but most importantly to acknowledge and appreciate our city businesses and organisations, they are the heartbeat of our city and community, they make Melbourne impactful, interesting and iconic.” •

For more visit melbourne.vic.gov.au/business