Council welcomes financial boost to support the recovery of high streets
Arun District Council is set to receive £143,718 from the Reopening High Streets Safely Fund to help support businesses as they reopen.
The new £50 million fund has been introduced to help all councils in England to introduce a range of safety measures in a move to get shops open safely.
The £143,718 allocated funding will support practical measures so that Arun businesses can re-open quickly when they are allowed to, staff can go to back to work and customers can return to shops confident that it is safe to do so.
This includes new signs, street markings and temporary barriers to help businesses get ready for when they can begin safely trading, not only in the high streets, but also our beach fronts and promenades.
The funding was launched after the government announced its proposal to reopen non-essential retail in a phased way from early June, subject to scientific advice. More information on this is set to be announced.
Leader of Arun District Council, Councillor Dr James Walsh said: “This announcement is extremely welcome as the funding will help to enable our Arun businesses to get back on their feet safely.
“These shops and businesses are vital to our economy and the grant money will help us as a council to better support them as we follow government guidance through the recovery phase of this pandemic.”
More information about how practical social distancing measures and reminders will be introduced in Arun’s town centres will be available soon.
The £50 million funding comes from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) that the government is making available to councils to support businesses to re-open safely. It will be ready to spend from 1 June. Further information can be found in the Reopening High Streets Safely Fund guidance
Residents should visit Arun District Council’s dedicated Covid-19 page for full up-to-date information at https://www.arun.gov.uk/coronavirus