Town Centre Support Scheme Application Pack

Scheme Aims

The aim of the scheme is to support business investment by independent traders within the five town centres of the Malvern Hills district:  Tenbury Wells, Upton upon Severn, Great Malvern (including Link Top), Malvern Link and Barnards Green.

Overview of the scheme

Eligible businesses can apply for a 50% match-funded grant of up to £2500 towards one, or a combination, of the following:

1. Shop front Improvements – Undertaking works to improve or refurbish the ground floor shop front, with improvements that respect and enhance the historic character of the building.
2. New Trader Support - Support including work required to bring a vacant unit back into use. This can include internal fittings, flooring, carpentry and equipment,
3. Development and Sustainability Grant – support for established business who want to diversify their business and improve sustainability.  This grant can help pay towards costs of new equipment that will enable a business to expand or provide additional services.  It can also be used to support a business to increase energy efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint.

Priority will be given to projects that enhance the area, are likely to attract footfall, increase business turnover and where the improvement will be long lasting (e.g, 5 years and more). 

The assessment of applications for ‘shop front improvements’ will consider evidence of need and the degree to which the proposal preserves or enhances the character and appearance of the surrounding built environment, particularly within Conservation Areas.  Priority will be given to businesses who have not previously received a shop front improvement grant within the last 4 years.

Amount of Grant and eligible expenditure

Businesses can apply for 50% of the eligible expenditure, up to £2,500 if they meet the criteria outlined in the application form.   The grant must be match-funded, at a minimum of 50%, from the business’s own resources. The business must pay for the eligible expenditure in full before submitting a claim for grant payment.

Only capital expenditure on an approved project/investment is eligible. Capital expenditure can be defined as expenditure where the benefits last more than 12 months.

Shop front improvements

Frontages and internal fittings - Eligible works or project

• Cleaning brickwork, stonework
• Restoring traditional detailing eg restore/replace joinery, iron & stonework.
• New shop fronts, fascia, signage, internal fittings (excludes window displays)
• Remove redundant features and make structural improvements
• Enhancing private forecourts (if they are facing onto a town centre street)

Information required

• Drawings or full description
• Design enhancing the surrounding environment
• Quotes
• Statutory permissions
• Landlord’s consent
• Planning consent where required

New Trader Support: Eligible works or project

Work required to support the establishment of a new town centre business and bring a vacant unit back into use. This element of the scheme is for new start-ups (trading for less than 12 months or haven’t started trading yet).  Work might include interior and exterior decoration of the ground floor, internal fittings, flooring, carpentry and new business equipment.

Information required

• Business Plan
• Drawings or full description
• Design enhancing the surrounding area
• Quotes for proposed work
• Statutory permissions
• Landlord’s consent
• Planning consent where required

Development and Sustainability Grant for established businesses

Eligible works or project

• Equipment that will enable a business to expand or provide new services.
• Furniture for customers that will support the  provision of a new service
• Fixtures that may be required to support the new service eg counters and shelving
• Equipment that adds to customer experience.  This could include, but is not limited to, re-purposing space within your premises to offer something unique that will increase your business turnover, encourage visitors and increase dwell time.
• Equipment that will support you to be more sustainable by increasing energy efficiency and reducing your businesses carbon footprint. This could include, but is not limited to, energy efficient equipment, LED lighting upgrades, food waste reduction equipment inc composters, improved waste recycling or waste separation systems, water saving devices including aerators and flow restrictors.

Information required

• Applications for the sustainability element of the grant will need to clearly demonstrate which environmental issues are being addressed, how the investment will reduce environmental impact and explain how the proposed investment will support longer term viability of the business.
• Quotes
• Statutory permissions
• Landlord’s consent
• Planning consent where required

Further eligibility criteria is set out at the start of the application form, including documentation that is required as part of the process.