In the wake of the August riots Boris Johnson said help for local traders was on the way. He said:

Small businesses need urgent help to repair damage and get goods back on the shelves and the High Street Fund will help to do just that.

The fund would be “easy to apply for” and cash would be paid out “as swiftly as possible”, the Mayor said.

But the Mayor’s growing reputation for money mismanagement is showing itself again.

The Financial Times had this shocking revelation yesterday:

Out of 586 businesses that applied for an immediate £2,000 under the scheme, nearly half have yet to receive an answer, let alone a pay-out.

At the time it was set up, Sir William said grants would be made “within a matter of days”.

It is now three months since the riots took place.

The FT quotes one trader:

Kirkland Pratt, a Hackney restaurateur, said he had applied for both funds, but had not received any money.

“It is a joke,” he said. “They say they want to help but they don’t care about us. You should see the state of my restaurant – it is still leaking.”

Ken Livingstone should be pointing this out as another sign of Boris’ misplaced priorities and incompetence.

Boris Johnson’s administration is currently planning to borrow £110 million, using up all of their current borrowing capabilities, on pet projects such as a cable car.

Reader comments

1. Liberal Conspiracy

   Three months later, Boris fails riot-hit businesses after offer http://t.co/3aT2fBri

2. sunny hundal

   Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

3. Kerry Abel

   Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

4. David Stockdale

   Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

5. ann brook

   Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

6. E R Light

   Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

7. Son of Robespierre

   Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

8. Emma

   Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

9. Mancunian Candidate

   Three months later, Boris fails riot-hit businesses after offer http://t.co/3aT2fBri

10. Peter Kenyon

    @sunny_hundal Astonishing:..Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/Rpn6OtQ1 <Astonishing? He's a Tory

11. Martin Paul Hume

    Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

12. Jean Pierre

    Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

13. Alex Braithwaite

    Three months later, Boris fails riot-hit businesses after offer | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/B52jGVLA via @libcon

14. Eamon Walsh

    Three months later, Boris fails riot-hit businesses after offer http://t.co/3aT2fBri

15. Super Pennie

    Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

16. Lambeth NUT

    Three months later, Boris fails riot-hit businesses after offer http://t.co/3aT2fBri

17. Janet Graham

    Three months later, Boris fails riot-hit businesses after offer http://t.co/3aT2fBri

18. Janet Graham

    Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

19. Noxi

    RT @sunny_hundal: Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/Gb9iyj8W

20. Tim Ireland

    Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

21. Michael Bater

    Three months later, Boris fails riot-hit businesses after offer | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/IPZDHBZn via @libcon

22. Justin B

    RT @sunny_hundal: Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/D9qgrISk

23. SymeonBrown

    RT @sunny_hundal: Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/D9qgrISk

24. Geoffrey Pearson

    RT @sunny_hundal: Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/5OK5HICN

25. Geoffrey Pearson

    Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

26. Lynda Constable

    Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

27. j sheeran

    Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

28. Ben Raza

    Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

29. Lord Toby Harris

    RT @sunny_hundal: Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/Gb9iyj8W

30. Dunc

    Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

31. HOODNEWS LONDON

    Three months later, Boris fails riot-hit businesses after offer http://t.co/3aT2fBri

32. Christian Wilcox

    More incompetence from Boris on the #Riots: http://t.co/UMaAOsOn. @ken4london needs to get back in asap. #Croydon #Labour ( @GavinBarwellMP

33. Our World Our Say

    Oh Boris, how we despair. Three months after #ukriots, support small businesses were led to expect remains elusive: http://t.co/wB6WoTx2

34. Matty Mitford

    Boris Johnson fails shop owners hit by the riots. http://t.co/4YI4dVaD

35. Andy Bean

    Oh dear, @mayoroflondon FAIL: Three months later, Boris fails riot-hit businesses after offer | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/shxj5jnX

36. Marina Kim

    Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/DlkWlr4Q

37. Purbeck Pashmina

    RT @sunny_hundal: Astonishing: three months later, Boris still hasn't helped riot-hit businesses despite promise http://t.co/Gb9iyj8W