High Street shops in Dovercourt High Street have the chance to benefit by up to £10,000 as part of a new grant scheme.
The Dovercourt High Street Accelerator Fund will oversee the Shopfront and Interior Improvement Grant Scheme, giving retailers in Dovercourt and Harwich the opportunity to invest in upgrades.
Dovercourt was selected as one of 10 pilot towns to receive the High Street Accelerator funding, which will see an extra £737,000 of ring-fenced funding delivered to support the High Street
Following resident and business surveys, priorities have been identified to improve the overall look and feel of the town centre, and the current retail mix available to residents and visitors.
Available to businesses with shop fronts located in Dovercourt town centre, the Shopfront and Interior Improvement Grant Scheme aims to provide financial support for projects aimed at improving shop appearances and customer experiences.
Improvements can include painting and repair work, window and door repairs, unfixed external signage and planters, shelving and display units, and tables and chairs.
Within the schemed standard grant funding will see all agreed projects receive up to £2,500, while a match funding option will match fund half the costs over the initial £2,500 fund up to the value of £10,000.
Applications can be made by completing a simple application form for submission to Tendring District Council, including pictures relating to the require work and two quotes to complete the proposed work. Interested applicants should call Tendring District Council for more information.
Paul Milsom, Harwich and Dovercourt Tourism Group chairman, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer this grant support to high street businesses. Our survey of local residents and businesses owners highlighted the importance of developing the overall look and feel of the High Street and also the retail mix that is available.
“The Shopfront and Interior Improvement Grant Scheme creates the opportunity to give our shop owners the chance to make changes that they feel are most important to them and that are going to help us achieve these objectives.
“This will be done in partnership with a programme of activity to further enhance the public spaces around the High Street, with High Street Accelerator funding used to support a number of different projects locally to make the High Street more attractive for people to visit and spend their spare time in.”
As well as activities working directly with local shops, High Street Accelerator funding will be used to strengthen transport links between the seafront, the High Street and park spaces, while green spaces will be added to the town’s retail areas and access routes into the town centre.
