After allocating more than £28 million to Carlisle businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic, Carlisle City Council is set to launch a new grants scheme.
The council has administered three government grant schemes: the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant, Small Business Grant and Local Authority Discretionary Grant Schemes, delivering approximately £28 million worth of grant funding to local businesses.
As an additional support to Carlisle and its city centre through the recovery phase, a new grants programme to encourage businesses to invest in the city centre will be available. It will be available for new and growing city centre businesses.
Cllr Paul Nedved, Portfolio holder for Economy, Enterprise and Housing, said: “We want to encourage businesses to invest in our city centre. Businesses and organisations need the confidence to invest in the city centre again. This small business grants programme for new and growing city centre businesses will encourage businesses to invest in our city centre, while helping to reduce vacancy rates and maintain the vitality and viability of the high street.”
The fund aims to encourage new starter/growing SME local businesses to occupy vacant units. The grant would be used is to support capital works, such as shop frontage improvements, signage and equipment necessary for the business to operate. The maximum grant per business would be £5,000, with an anticipated average grant of £2,000.
The criteria for the grant will be available on the City Council’s website early next month, however in the meantime, enquiries can be made by calling 01228 817200 or email regeneration@carlisle.gov.uk
The grant would be open to SME/Microbusinesses (i.e. those that have less than 250 employees and a turnover of less than £25 million) occupying a vacant unit in Carlisle city centre. Consideration will also be given to applicant businesses who are currently operating in the city centre but looking to expand into vacant ground floor space of a premise in the city centre- i.e. a business currently occupying a premise, looking to expand into vacant ground floor space of the same building, or into a larger vacant premise.
The six-month pilot will run until the end of this financial year.
