Town Centre Retail Start Up Grant guidance for applicants
About this grant
The Town Centre Retail Start Up Grant helps us deliver our Vision 2022-2026 by supporting independent retailers moving into town centre premises. It also supports our aim to use regeneration opportunities to attract new and relocating businesses, strengthening the commercial health of Arun's three main town centres.
This grant is open to eligible independent retail businesses taking premises within specific streets in Arundel, Bognor Regis or Littlehampton town centres. By focusing investment in these areas, the scheme helps strengthen the character of our towns and support local businesses by creating welcoming places for people to visit, shop and spend time.
To support a broader and more diverse town‑centre offer, the grant is only available to eligible retail businesses. The following types of business, or those we consider similar, cannot apply for this grant: cafes, restaurants, bars, beauty services, barbers, hairdressers, vape shops.
You can apply for up to £2,500 through this match funded scheme. Match‑funding means we will cover up to half of the costs of your project, and you must cover the remaining costs.
So, for example, if your project costs £2,000, the grant will contribute £1,000 and you will need to fund £1,000. If your project costs £5,000 the grant will contribute £2,500 and you will need to fund £2,000. If your project costs £8,000 the grant will contribute £2,500 and you will need to fund £5,500. There is no minimum grant amount.
Funding will only be released once you have provided evidence of a signed lease for an eligible retail unit.
The grant is only open to new, independent retail businesses that signed their commercial leases no more than two months before submitting the grant application.
Aim
The aim of the Town Centre Retail Start Up Grant scheme is to help new retailers set up good‑quality premises that improve the look and feel of our town centres and improve the range and offer available. The grant supports investment in equipment and other physical items needed to open and run a retail shop.
To receive funding, your proposal must:
- show that your idea is clear, realistic and likely to work
- explain how the items you want to buy will help you set up and begin trading
- describe how your retail unit will help create a busy and welcoming town centre.
- evidence value for money
Eligibility
- you must be a new independent retail business (shop) that signed their commercial leases no more than two months before submitting the grant application
- your retail business is in a ground floor unit in Arundel, Bognor Regis or Littlehampton, in one of the streets named below:
- we may refer you to the one to one business support consultant before we can agree your grant.
Arundel
- High Street
- Maltravers Street
- River Road
- Tarrant Street
Bognor Regis
- Bedford Street
- High Street
- Linden Road
- London Road
- Norfolk Street
- Queensway
- Station Road
- Waterloo Square
- York Road
Littlehampton
- Anchor Springs
- Arcade Road
- Bayford Road
- Beach Road
- Clifton Road
- Duke Street
- East Street
- High Street
- Manor Parade
- Pier Road
- Surrey Street
- The Arcade
Exclusions
To support a more balanced and diverse retail offer, this grant focuses on encouraging new retail businesses that broaden the range of shops and services available.
The following business types are excluded because they are already well represented across the district's town centres:
- cafes
- restaurants
- bars
- beauty services
- barbers / hairdressers
- vape shops
You cannot apply if you have been given a retail start up grant before.
You cannot apply if your business is located outside of the named streets in Arundel, Bognor Regis or Littlehampton
Match Funding
You can apply for up to £2,500 through this match‑funded scheme. Match‑funding means we will cover up to half of the costs of your project, and you must cover the remaining costs. There is no minimum grant award.
For example:
| Project cost | Grant | Your contribution |
|---|---|---|
| £1,000 | £500 | £500 |
| £2,500 | £1,250 | £1,250 |
| £4,000 | £2,000 | £2,000 |
| £5,000 | £2,500 | £2,500 |
| £8,500 | £2,500 | £6,000 |
What the grant can be used for
We prefer to fund equipment and other physical items that help you set up your shop. Applications that focus mainly on less visible costs - such as marketing, subscriptions or everyday running costs - are less likely to be approved.
Examples of generally acceptable costs include:
- shelving, display units and shop‑fit equipment and decoration
- point‑of‑sale equipment (e.g., tills, payment devices)
- IT hardware required for trading
- specialist tools or equipment directly required for the type of retail business
- security equipment (e.g., CCTV, alarms)
- essential materials for initial stock presentation
- legal / professional fees
This list does not include every possible cost the grant could be used for. If you have another cost that clearly helps you open your new retail business, you may include it in your application.
Costs we cannot fund
- ongoing operating costs (rent, utilities, staff costs, stock replenishment)
- routine marketing or general advertising
- business insurance
- interest payments
Evidencing value for money
You must submit quotes for all items or equipment you are requesting funding for. Each quote must:
- include the supplier's name and contact details
- include a breakdown of costs
You must provide at least two quotes for each item, unless this is not possible.
Insurance
You are responsible for making sure any equipment you buy is properly insured. We do not insure or replace items bought with the grant.
Payment of grant funding
Grant payments can only be made after the approved items have been purchased and evidence has been sent to us.
You must not make purchases until you have received the formal letter from us about your grant award. If you do, your grant may not be paid.
Assessment criteria
Your application will be assessed using the following criteria:
- strength of business proposal: how clear the idea is and whether it is likely to work and last
- appropriate use of funding: how well the requested items help you open your shop
- value for money: whether the costs are fair and reasonable
- contribution to town centre vitality: how the business will help create a busy and attractive high street
Assessment process
Applications will be reviewed in the order we receive them. There are no set panel dates for this scheme. We will continue to review applications until the total grant fund has been fully allocated.
We can only assess applications that are complete. If any required information is missing, we will not be able to assess your application until all documents have been provided.
We may refer you to the one‑to‑one business support consultant before we can agree your grant.
Next steps
You can proceed straight to submitting an application and uploading all required information using the online form.
Applying using the online form
The application for this grant is completed through an online form. You must finish the form in one session, as you cannot save it and return later.
It is helpful to have all your documents ready to upload before you start.
As well as details about you and your business, you will be asked to:
Describe your business proposal
- tell us what your idea is
- explain why it is clear, workable and likely to last
Explain the costs are a good use of the funding
- tell us what items you are asking for
- explain how each item will help you open your shop
Show that the costs offer value for money
- explain why the items you need offer good value
- show us that the costs are fair and reasonable (by including quotes)
Explain how your unit will contribute to a busy and attractive town centre.
- tell us how your business will help create a busy and welcoming high street.
- explain how it will attract customers or add something new to the area.
You can attach a separate document with this information if you need more space.
Supporting documents you'll need to upload:
- business plan
- evidence of business registration (if registered)
- confirmation of lease/licence or current status of negotiations
- quotes
- your bank details
For further information, contact the Economy Team by email: business@arun.gov.uk
How to apply
You must submit your application through the online form:
Apply for a Retail Start Up Grant
We can only assess applications that are complete. If any required information is missing, we will not be able to assess your application until all documents have been provided.
We may refer you to the one‑to‑one business support consultant before we can agree your grant.
Successful applicants will receive a formal “Letter of Offer” with a deadline for completing the works. You should not make any purchases or start any works until you have received this letter. If you do, your grant may not be payable.