Funding Available for Local Businesses

Elmbridge Business Boost launched – Information From Elmbridge Council

Elmbridge Borough Council has launched a new package of support measures to help boost businesses, support local high streets and plan for the future.

During the pandemic the council has helped pay-out over £30 million in direct support to businesses, awarded over 100 grants to help our independent retailers adapt to social distancing, supported over 25 shops to sell online with our digital high street grant, helped launch over 20 new businesses in the past 12 months and backed our high streets to continue to evolve and adapt in the future with the launch of the Walton Business Improvement District (BID) in March the first step toward a £800,000 investment in the town over the next 5 years.

The next phase of support has been developed in partnership with our local business groups is now available with our package of startup, business, high streets and skills boosts that will help our residents and our town and village centres survive, and be well placed to thrive again in the future.

Business boost

• Up to £1,500 available in grant support for independent retailers in our town and village centres to help them sell online
• Up to £2,000 available in grant support to help our businesses improve the shop front or signage of their property
• Free membership of the Elmbridge Business Network to connect you to over 1,200 local businesses, the latest updates and business masterclasses
• New discretionary grant scheme launched to help support those impacted by the pandemic who may be working from home or who don’t pay business rates in shared spaces

High street boost

• Up to £2,000 in support available to bring an empty shop back into commercial use
• Up to £1,000 to help town or village wide projects to drive new footfall, investment or sustainability
• Funding awarded to Cobham Chamber of Commerce to understand the potential for a Business Improvement District

Start–up boost

• Up to £1,000 available to help residents set up a new business in the borough

Skills boost

• Over 25 Kickstart Placements (including a placement within the council) agreed in the borough providing a fully funded 6 month job experience for 16-24 year olds on Universal Credit or at risk of long term unemployment
• Support to cover the cost of apprenticeship training, allowing local businesses to take on and train new staff, boost skills and open up new opportunities for residents

Councillor Christine Elmer, Portfolio Holder for Community and Corporate Development said: “Elmbridge Borough Council has always backed our high streets and businesses with over £1million of investment through our grants programme supporting over 300 projects with direct support to businesses, improvements to the look and feel of our centres and ideas that drive new footfall to our high streets.

“Our high streets and the local economy continue to evolve as technology and consumer behaviour changes so it’s right we review and update our offer for our businesses. The package of support available from the council now reflects this with our digital high street grant to help independent shops sell online, to our new empty shop grant to support our local entrepreneurs who want to invest and add new vibrancy to our high streets. We are maximising support in the short term and helping our high streets to adapt and thrive in the future.

“If you are a start-up, existing independent or have an idea to help bring people to your local high street please do get in touch. We will continue to back our businesses and high streets and look forward to supporting more projects across the borough.”

Businesses can find out more about the support on offer by visiting: www.elmbridge.gov.uk/business/support-for-businesses/

Published on Wednesday, February 24th, 2021
in General Interest