Our Colchester BID launches new grants to help business owners improve their shopfronts.
£121,000 is available to businesses within the city centre who want to invest in improving the appearance of the shopfronts. Working in partnership with Colchester City Council and with part funding from Central Government, applications are now open to businesses to submit their shopfront improvement proposals.
Sam Good, Manager of Our Colchester BID said “It’s always a pleasure to be working to support businesses in the City Centre. It can be a big effort to maintain a clean and welcoming shopfront at the best of times. With the cost-of-living crisis, prices for materials increasing, and many businesses still recovering from the cost of the pandemic, this Shopfront Improvement Grant aims to help businesses get back on track and put their best foot forward. £96k of the funding for this project is allocated to specific streets, outlined on our website, with the remainder £25k available to Independent Levy Payer Businesses.
Applications open from Tuesday the 25th of April and close on the 6th of June. All relevant information can be found on the Our Colchester BID website, under the projects page.”
Funding is available to BID businesses in the City Centre. The Shopfront Improvement Grant scheme aims to improve shop fronts in selected areas as a means of supporting the growth of local businesses, improving the local environment, and raising the image of the city centres amongst locals and visitors.
Cllr Martin Goss, Colchester City Council Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Services and Waste, said: “The announcement of a significant sum of new investment to go into improvements for city centre businesses is excellent news. Colchester City Council is thrilled to partner with the BID to help make our city centre a more attractive destination for residents and visitors alike and to see businesses that are thriving.”
