CEREMONY venues across Oxfordshire have been given a financial boost to help them through the coronavirus crisis.

A total of 98 venues in the county are licensed to carry out ceremonies and those venues have had to postpone or cancel many weddings and civil partnerships.

The county council’s Registration Service have stepped in to help with the financial toll lockdown is taking on wedding venues and it is extending ceremony licences by one year.

Martin Sherry, business owner of Lains Barn near Wantage has been running the venue since 2010.

The busy venue hosts 80 to 90 weddings every year but has recently had to cancel many due to lockdown.

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Mr Sherry is looking forward to getting back to business, he thinks the financial help is a great idea and he is also expecting a separate small business grant from the government.

He said: “For March, April, May and June I have so far managed to relocate probably 95 per cent of our brides and grooms at no extra cost. I think businesses should be helped by local authorities, my main concern is getting back up and running.

Oxford Mail:

“It’s a very difficult time, planning a wedding may be the most important thing in your life but there are people far worse off in far worse situations. I’ve found all my Brides and Grooms have just been fantastic, they have been understanding. The small business grant is a help because then you can furlough workers, I think we are getting as much help as we can expect, the best thing is to get back to normal and get trading again.”

The ceremony industry contributes to the local economy and extending the licences is a small financial help.

Councillor Lorraine Lindsay-Gale said: “We feel that giving our venues this extra latitude we are making a contribution to helping them make ends meet at this tough time. So that when we emerge from the current national situation, we have a good chance of being able to hit the ground running in terms of providing a good service to the people of Oxfordshire.”

Superintendent Registrar Alicja Gilroy said: “If venues were about to apply for a licence, we have advised them not to do so and just add another year onto the expiry date of their existing licence.”