News / Business
The scheme reducing the number of Bristol’s long-term empty shops
Small local businesses have been benefiting from grants of up to £10,000 to help fit out an empty shop on Bristol’s high streets.
Across the city there are almost 50 local high streets, like Broadmead, East Street and Church Road, but many suffer from long-term empty shops.
For the past five years Bristol City Council has given out more than £1m to small businesses, charities and community interest companies, as part of the Vacant Commercial Property Grant scheme.
This covers the initial costs of taking on a lease and setting up shop.
However the scheme, which was launched to help the economy recover from the pandemic, is coming to an end this November.
An update on the nationally recognised success was given to councillors on the economy and skills policy committee on Monday.
Jason Thorne, service manager for city centre and high streets, said: “Those vacant properties are currently wasted resources, so how can we provide employment opportunities within those to meet local needs?
“Up to now we’ve been, and we will be until the end of November, offering vacant commercial property grants.
“We’ve already brought over 180 vacant properties back into use. That’s something that we would like to continue to be doing.”
Businesses welcomed the grant and said the money has helped them create new jobs.
Examples given in a committee report include Posh Nails in Fishponds and the Saigon Kitchen in Redland.
Other businesses that have benefited include the Italian restaurant Cotto in the city centre and the tattoo studio No Regrets on Stokes Croft.
In the report, the Posh Nails founder Thuong Bui said: “Without this funding I wouldn’t have been able to open the salon.
“I was working from home and couldn’t run the business full-time there.
“Now I’m here every day. My brother works here as a nail technician, and I wouldn’t have been able to start paying his salary straight away without this.”
The grant can be used to pay for structural or physical works to the premises, or to buy equipment a business needs in order to trade.
The last day the council is accepting applications is November 14.
The money comes from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Council staff said they hoped to continue the work, but were uncertain of getting extra funding.
Main photo: Betty Woolerton
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