Small and independent retailer in Crawley? Apply for a grant to improve your store

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 at 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.

To apply for a Shop Front and High Street grant, retailers will need to complete the application form, which can be found on the Shop Front and High Street Improvement Grant Scheme page of our website at crawley.gov.uk/shopfrontgrants