Hackney High Streets and Town Centres Fund launched to ensure fair recovery for small businesses
Championing small businesses in recovering from the coronavirus pandemic is the aim of a new £500,000 Hackney High Street and Town Centres Fund.
The funding is aimed at supporting projects delivered by town centre and high street businesses or enterprises that aim to increase high street footfall and encourage spending in Hackney.
Applications open tomorrow as part of Small Business Saturday (4 December), a grassroots UK campaign encouraging consumers to 'shop local' and support small businesses in their communities.
We are committed to supporting local businesses in Hackney as part of the Council’s ambitions to ensure a fair recovery from the pandemic. To support Hackney’s micro and small business led enterprises we are launching a new Hackney High Streets and Town Centres Fund.
The objective is to invest into projects that make our high streets and town centres more attractive, accessible and inclusive and support the businesses that make Hackney the destination of choice for many by helping to deliver increased customer footfall.
Alongside the new Hackney High Streets and Town Centres Fund, the Council is also promoting the Love Hackney, Shop Local initiative to promote Small Business Saturday. But remember that when you are out and about that face masks are compulsory in shops, businesses and on public transport in line with the updated government guidelines.
Businesses can apply individually for up to £10,000, or in partnership with other businesses or high street partners (community groups, charities, voluntary and community sector organisations) for up to £50,000 for projects that will be delivered from April 2022 to December 2022.
We are inviting applications for projects that will be delivered by town centre and high street businesses, or groups of businesses, under the following themes:
- Cultural and community engagement
- Resilient and revitalised places
- Celebrating nightlife
- A connected local economy
- Sustainable and greener places
- Inclusive, accessible and safe streets
Applications must be made before the closing date of 11.59pm on 11 January, with applicants notified of the outcome in February 2021.
The full details and application criteria of the fund can be found on our website.
Further information:
- Using Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) funding that the Council received from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, £500,000 has been made available for eligible businesses to deliver projects that increase engagement, encourage spending and bolster recovery in our high streets and town centres.
- Earlier this year the Council launched Hello again, Hackney - a £400,000 fund to help the borough’s cultural institutions welcome back customers safely with special offers, discounted tickets and pop-up events.
- This is part of the final tranche of funding currently allocated by the Government to support businesses as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Further business support funding will be made available in the coming months including support for small or micro businesseses in Hackney making changes or adaptations to their business to enable them to develop and thrive post-pandemic.
- Further information on grants issued by Hackney Council during the coronavirus pandemic can be found on our website.