£200k awarded to help fill empty shops

Wiltshire Council has awarded £197,000 as part of its Vibrant Wiltshire grants programme to help businesses around the county move into vacant shop units and improve high streets.

The Vibrant Wiltshire vacant unit grants are part of the Wiltshire Towns Programme and can be worth up to £10,000 to help small businesses occupy previously vacant commercial spaces in town centres across the county.

Businesses can either already be trading or looking to start up, and are eligible if they move to a unit that is currently vacant in one of the eligible town centres.

To help more businesses apply for funding, the council has extended the deadline to apply for grants to 14 June 2024.

So far, grants have been successfully awarded across 10 towns; Bradford on Avon, Devizes, Malmesbury, Marlborough, Melksham, Pewsey, Royal Wootton Bassett, Trowbridge, Warminster and Wilton.

However, high streets in another 12 towns, city or villages are yet to benefit from the grants, so businesses in Amesbury, Calne, Chippenham, Corsham, Cricklade, Downton, Ludgershall, Mere, Salisbury, Tidworth, Tisbury and Westbury could be missing out.

There is a total of £500,000 of Vibrant Wiltshire funding, so nearly 40% has been allocated, but if there is still funding available, applications will reopen at the start of September.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Leader of Wiltshire Council, said: “We’ve allocated nearly £200,000 to businesses all around the county, but we want to do more, and that’s why we’re extending the deadline and encouraging both new and existing businesses that would like to move into an empty unit to apply.

“The grants have supported a diverse range of businesses, including a jeweller, florist, bakery, beauty salon and clothing retailer. This funding is helping the businesses to grow and thrive, and the high streets to become more vibrant places that people want to visit.

“This funding is part of our Business Plan commitment to support our town centres and encourage them to thrive and I’d urge more eligible businesses – particularly on those high streets that have yet to benefit from a grant – to come forward and apply.”

To find out more and apply, businesses should go to www.wiltshire.gov.uk/vibrant-wiltshire-grants or email Vibrant.Wiltshire@wiltshire.gov.uk.