Ipswich Borough Council has been awarded £2.4m as part of the Government’s Towns Fund to improve Local Shopping Parades in Ipswich.

Significant amounts of work have been identified for each Parade, including a need for a Shop Front Improvement Grant Scheme, with the aim of supporting local businesses and improving the environment.

The aim of the scheme is to improve the local shopping parades street scene, ultimately encouraging more people to visit and develop the economic benefits to the parade and town.

The scheme also aims to reduce vacancy rates and encourage landlords to bring empty shops back into use.

Funding eligibility

Independent businesses in the eligible Shopping Parades can apply for a grant of up to £5,000 to improve the visual appearance of their shop front, through Towns Deal funding. 50% of the funding will be paid upfront from Ipswich Borough Council, with the remaining 50% paid on completion of the shop front improvement works.

Shopping parades eligible for this funding 

• Bixley Road/ Foxhall Road
• Bramford Road (Town End)
• Brunswick Road
• Cambridge Drive
• Claudwell Hall Road (Spring Road/ St Johns)
• Cliff Lane
• Dales Road
• Dickens Road
• Ellenbrook Green
• Felixstowe Road (Derby Road Junction)
• Fircroft Road
• Foxhall Road (Town End)
• Garrick Way
• Hawthorn Drive
• Lavender Hill
• Maidenhall Green
• Meredith Road
• Nacton Road
• Norwich Road (197 to 507)
• Penshurst Road
• Queensway
• Ravenswood
• Reynolds Road
• Selkirk Road
• St Helen’s Street
• Stoke Park Drive
• Ulster Avenue
• Wherstead Road (Austin St)
• Woodbridge Road (Claudwell Hall Road Junction)
• Woodbridge Road East

Eligibility criteria

All applications that meet the criteria below will be assessed by a grant panel on a first come first served basis with written decisions issued following these panel meetings.

Priorities of the scheme

• To enhance the aesthetic appeal of retail areas/centres in the town
• To assist in bringing any vacant units back into use
• To encourage additional footfall in the parades
• To assist in providing a vibrant and mixed retail offer

Who can apply?

The Shop Front Grant Scheme is open to all owners and leaseholders with at least 5 years left on their lease within the eligible parades list above.

Only businesses at the above shopping parades are eligible for this funding.

Eligible commercial premises include:

• Retailers e.g., green grocers, butchers, and bakeries
• Services provision e.g., hairdressers, beauty salons, funeral directors, launderettes, and dry cleaners
• Financial and professional services e.g., accountants, estate agents and solicitors
• Restaurants, public houses, cafes, and food takeaways
• Buildings on the parade that provide a community service

The following organisations/businesses are ineligible:

• National retailers/chains/multiples or any business with more than three locations
• National charities
• Betting shops/pawnbrokers

Funding Criteria

Businesses can apply for funding for (this list is not exhaustive):

• External redecoration
• New external windows doors
• External signage
• External lighting (e.g., swan neck or backlighting)

This grant will not fund:

• Recurring revenue costs (including salaries, stock, rent or utility charges)
• Repaying existing loans or debts
• Where other public funding has been accessed for refurbishment of the premises

How to apply

To apply, email: town.fund@ipswich.gov.uk

The applicant will need to complete the application form and provide supporting documentation, this should include (where appropriate):

Supporting Information 

• Most recent 3 months bank statements
• Schedule of proposed works
• Quotes for the proposed works, lowest quote is usually supported
• Copy of Planning, Licencing, Environmental Health consents and/or permissions, if applicable
• Copy of your tenancy/ lease agreement (if tenant) and copy of the owners written consent for the works to be undertaken
• Photographs of the area of improvement
• Visuals of proposed alterations.

The closing date for applications is Monday 7 November 2024.

Decision Process

Applications will be considered by a grant panel who will meet once a month and a decision will be made on your application as soon as possible at that meeting. If further information is required, you will be contacted.

All grant offers will be made in writing. If your project requires planning permission and your grant is approved, we will write to you making an in-principle offer of funding, we will then issue a formal grant offer letter as soon as permission is granted. Full details of the conditions that apply to the grant will be set out in the grant offer letter.

All grants will be conditional on you securing appropriate planning consent. The scheme operates independently of the planning process and any offer of a grant does not imply that planning consent will be granted.

Grant Conditions:

• Grants are discretionary and Ipswich Borough Council reserves the right to withhold payment of the grant in whole or part if any condition of the offer letter has been breached.
• The applicant must hold a business bank account (a ‘trading as’ account is acceptable).
• The applicant must have all the necessary permissions and licenses to operate the business or make changes to the premises (e.g. changes to signage or shop frontage decoration may need planning consent).
• By accepting the grant you agree to be involved with Ipswich Borough Council on any publicity around Towns Fund e.g. press releases and photographs, interviews.
• The applicant must not have any other outstanding debts payable to Ipswich Borough Council.
• All grant decisions are at the discretion of the Chief Executive and grant panel.
• All applications will be assessed on the criteria and priorities of the scheme.
• All the necessary statutory approvals and legal requirement must be complied with before grants can be claimed.
• The grant is repayable should any of the conditions be breached or if the project is not implemented in full.
• Grants will be limited to one per business.
• The applicant/business needs to be financially solvent.
• You will be required to maintain the property to a satisfactory standard for a minimum of five years.

Offer of the Grant

An offer of grant must be accepted within 20 working days of receipt of the offer letter by returning a copy of the offer of grant letter signed by the applicant. After this date the offer will be automatically withdrawn.

Payment of Grant

• 50% of the grant will be paid upfront.
• No match funding requirement.
• The remaining 50% of the grant will be paid on project completion.
• Please ensure you keep all invoices as evidence, as you will be required to submit to Ipswich Borough Council.
• Please do not start work prior to receipt of your offer letter start date as invoices dated before the date of the offer letter will not be eligible for payment.
• The applicant must submit the claim (including receipted invoices) for grant assistance within one month of the completion date as stated in the offer letter.
• Final payment will be subject to the applicant having satisfactorily completed the project and complied with all terms and conditions of the scheme.
• If the actual costs are less that those outlined in the application and agreed in the offer letter, payment will be restricted to the actual amount in accordance with the receipted invoices.
• If the costs of the proposed project exceed the maximum grant awarded as agreed in the offer letter, Ipswich Borough Council is not obliged to increase the grant amount.
• Payment of the grant will be made into the applicant’s business bank account (or ‘trading as’ account) via BACS.

Repayment of Grant

Ipswich Borough Council reserves the right to recover all or part of the grant it has provided if:

• The business is sold or ceases to trade for whatever reason within a 6-month period from receipt of the grant.
• The business relocates outside the boundaries of Ipswich Borough Council within a 6-month period from receipt of the grant.
• Information provided in the application form or other correspondence is found to be substantially incorrect, misleading, or incomplete.