GrantRadar

Erewash Borough Council

Shopfront Improvement Grant

Grants of £1,000 to £10,000 for owners or occupiers of ground-floor units in Ilkeston and Long Eaton town centres to clean, repair or renovate their shop fronts, funded through the Erewash Investment Fund. Existing businesses must find 20% match funding; start-ups and social enterprises do not. Applications are first come, first served while funds last. The 2026-28 terms still give a 31 January 2026 submission date, apparently carried over from the earlier scheme, so check timing with the Economic Development team.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£1,000 – £10,000
Deadline
Not published
no closing date given
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Owners of, or businesses occupying, ground-floor units in the town centres of Ilkeston (Bath Street, Market Place and South Street) or Long Eaton (High Street, Market Place, Tamworth Road no further south than Broad Street, and Derby Road between Fletcher Street and Waverley Street only)
  • Applications must come from the owner and/or tenant
  • Existing businesses must provide 20% match funding; start-ups and social enterprises need not
  • Applicants need a business bank account, public liability insurance and must declare grants received in the past 3 years (subsidy control)
  • Debts owed to the council may delay payment
  • While Long Eaton Town Deal works continue, scaffolding is not allowed on High Street, Tamworth Road or Market Place, so such projects may be paid only after those works finish

What it funds

External shop front enhancements and improvements, including:

  • Re-painting
  • Rendering
  • Graffiti or vegetation removal
  • Cleaning of brickwork and guttering
  • Repairs to brickwork or plasterwork
  • Replacing windows
  • New guttering
  • Accessibility measures, for example removal of unnecessary steps

What it will not fund

  • Recurring costs of running a business (salaries, stock, rent, utility charges, subscriptions, licences)
  • Repaying existing loans or debts
  • Goods, services or labour bought before the date of the Grant Offer Letter
  • Activities that may bring the Council into disrepute
  • Applications prepared or co-prepared by third parties

How to apply

  1. Complete the online application (about 40 minutes), uploading a photo of the current shopfront and two quotations from different suppliers
  2. The council checks the address is eligible and tells you what to do next
  3. Submit the remaining forms and supporting documents by email or post to the Economic Development team
  4. If approved and checks are passed, you receive a Grant Offer Letter; start works within 60 days of the award
  5. Tell the council when works are complete; the grant is paid by BACS to your business bank account

for help, or to apply in writing, contact EconomicDevelopment@erewash.gov.uk or Economic Development, Long Eaton Town Hall, Derby Road, NG10 1HU

town centres are Conservation Areas; check the Shopfront SPD design guidance and whether planning permission is needed

Have ready

  • A photo of the current shopfront
  • Two quotations for the works from different suppliers
  • A render of how the shopfront will look (optional)
  • A copy of the lease agreement or deeds for the unit
  • Business bank account details
  • A signed copy of the terms and conditions
  • Confirmation of match funding

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