Small and independent retailers in Crawley can apply for up to £5,000 to improve their shop fronts or stores as part of the Shop Front and High Street Improvement Programme.
Eligible businesses in Crawley town centre and the neighbourhood parades can bid for grants of up to £5,000 toward significant visual improvements to their frontage, or physical improvements to frontline business operations. This includes shop front enhancements, minor building works, display equipment, lighting and decoration or payment system improvements. Up to four adjoining businesses can make a joint bid for a maximum of £20,000.
Councillor Atif Nawaz, Cabinet member for Planning and Economic Development, Crawley Borough Council said:
"This is a great opportunity for small and independent retailers to spruce up their premises and further strengthen their competitiveness. I’d encourage any eligible business to take advantage of this funding opportunity and use it to attract more customers into their shops."
To be eligible to apply for a grant, businesses must:
be registered with HMRC and Companies House
pass due diligence checks undertaken by council officers
have a physical shop premises in Crawley
be a small independent business with a maximum of 50 employees
not be part of a regional, national or international chain or franchise
have security of tenure for the premises and provide evidence to prove this
not propose inappropriate physical shop front improvements if the premises is located in designated conservation areas
Applications that demonstrate they will result in the delivery of environmental benefits, for example a reduction in carbon emissions, will be afforded extra weighting during the evaluation process.
A due diligence and evaluation process will be undertaken on all applications. Grants offered are subject to meeting eligibility criteria, fulfilling the aims of the scheme and a subsidy control declaration.
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