14 Newtown-Area Restaurants, Inns Split $500K In Relief Funds

NEWTOWN, PA — More than a dozen restaurants, bars and hospitality businesses in the Newtown area received half-a-million dollars in coronavirus-relief funding earlier this year through Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program.

The hospitality industry has been among the hardest-hit amid the coronavirus pandemic, with restaurants and bars ordered to suspend indoor dining last year and many unable to make ends meet with limited capacities.

Gov. Tom Wolf established the CHIRP program in December by using a $145 million surplus in the Pennsylvania’s Workers Compensation Trust.

The program was approved with nearly unanimous support from Democrats and Republicans. One lawmaker, Republican State Sen. Robert “Tommy” Tomlinson, of Bensalem, abstained from the vote.

Restaurants and hospitality businesses from each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties received funding from the CHIRP program. Just under $7 million was funneled to 196 businesses across three dozen municipalities in Bucks County. Those businesses employ nearly 1,400 full-time workers and 2,020 part-time workers, according to local officials.

Restaurants and food-service businesses received about 85 percent of Bucks County’s CHIRP funding, about $5.9 million, while accommodation businesses received just over $1 million. Of that funding, $500,000 was directed to Newtown-area businesses.

Eleven received grants of $40,000, the largest amount offered by Bucks County officials: Green Parrot Restaurant, Isaac Newton’s Restaurant, Jules’ Thin Crust Newtown, Ko Restaurant, Piccolo Trattoria Catering, Sycamore Grill, The Barn Inc., The Fancy Fig Cafe & Catering, The Grey Stone Fine Food & Spirits, Vecchia Osteria, and Vince’s Pizzeria & Taproom.

The Temperance House received a $30,000 grant, Pat's Colonial Kitchen got a $20,000 grant and Café Con Leche got a $10,000 grant.

County officials worked with the Bucks County Economic Development Corporation, the Bucks County Redevelopment Authority and Visit Bucks County to determine funding allocations based on businesses’ needs, according to Deanna Giorno, an economic development program manager for the county.

Businesses can use the grants to cover payroll, rent, utilities and other operating expenses since March 2020, according to Bucks County’s guidelines for the program. Businesses that received a grant must remain open for at least a year.