Over the next 3 years, 30 grants of £2,000 will be made available to help traders in the Boscombe High Street area.
Two grants per trader are permitted over the 3 year scheme.
Grants will be awarded to the best and most appropriate initiatives to improve the Boscombe High Street area overall. Any business on the pedestrianised section of Christchurch Road and Sea Road can make an application.
All applicants must be a registered trader or a registered charity trading within the grant zone.
If your improvements are for larger scale building works, renovation grants are available for certain properties. Please contact the Towns Fund Management Team for more information by emailing townsfund@bcpcouncil.gov.uk.
Summer grant
A yearly grant award to successful applicants will be delivered in June, allowing traders to invest in improvements and initiatives for the summer season.
Winter grant
A second yearly grant award to successful applicants will be delivered in November, allowing traders to invest in improvements and initiatives for Christmas and the holiday period.
The 6 week application window opens on 21 August 2023 and closes on 8 October 2023.
How to apply and what to include
You can apply for a grant if you are looking to make small improvements to your business. Examples include but are not limited to:
- outside seating
- canopies
- signage
- lighting
- new print runs (e.g. new menus)
- staffing
- licensing for late night opening.
You will need to declare that any proposed improvement falls within legislation, and that all relevant permissions have been or will be secured. This could include:
- licensing
- planning permission
- listed building consent
- advert consent
- land owner consent.
Applications should include the total cost of the improvement, and the amount of funding that you will be contributing yourself. Each application will be judged on merit with the percentage of contribution from the trader considered.
We recommend you consult your landlord if you you think your improvements will impact any terms, conditions, or fundamental principles of any lease held on your premises, or any other matter of significance.
Only one application can be made per trader for each grant, though a trader who has applied for the summer grant can apply again for later grants in the winter and the following two years.
Apply
To apply, complete the application form and email it to townsfund@bcpcouncil.gov.uk or pop into the Better Boscombe Engagement Hub to collect or drop off a form:
If you are successful
An award letter containing grant award conditions will be sent to you if you are successful. The award letter should be signed and returned to us within one month of the date on the letter.
Works included in your grant proposal must be completed within 3 months of the offer. When completed, copies of relevant final receipted accounts and payment invoices, in the name of the applicant, should be sent to us. Once these are received we will make a payment to you.
The towns fund team withhold the right to verify the improvements have been implemented/completed in line with the application grant award before payment is released.
If you are unsuccessful
If you are unsuccessful you can reapply however please make sure you have considered any feedback given to you when your application was declined before reapplying. Reapplying does not guarantee your application will be approved.
Funding provided by Better Boscombe
This grant scheme is funded by Bournemouth Towns Fund, Better Boscombe Regeneration programme.