Xtreme Karting's new online booking system is a roaring success thanks to Falkirk Council grant support

Both funds have provided a vital lifeline to companies impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. They provide financial assistance to help businesses adapt to the restrictions or to help grow the business over time and can be accessed via the Business Gateway Falkirk team.

Like many other local businesses in the leisure/tourism sector, Xtreme Karting, based in Larbert, was forced to close and furlough staff during the restrictions and lockdowns.

They successfully secured funding to help adapt to new ways of operating the business and meet new safety guidelines from the Business Resilience Fund £10k.

Barrie Henderson, Xtreme Karting said: “The support we have received from Business Gateway Falkirk has been essential to the successful relaunch of the business after lockdowns, through what has been a very tough period.

“We have had to invest heavily in the business to adapt to the changing demands in place post-lockdown. We secured funding from the Business Adaptation Fund to buy new equipment to meet strict safety guidelines including new temperature checking cameras, 300 new helmets, suits and sanitising equipment.

“Funding from the Business Resilience Fund helped us install new software specific to karting centres to allow us to offer 100% online booking which has worked extremely well and is allowing us to tailor slots to different age groups much more effectively.

“I have no doubt that without this support and access to funding we would have struggled to re-open our business. The advice and support we have received from Business Gateway Falkirk has been vital to help us improve and grow our business both from a safety and online/operational perspective.”

There’s still time to apply for a Business Resilience grant, this fund is distributed on a first come first serve basis so businesses are encouraged to get applications in as soon as possible.

The grants are funded by Falkirk Council.