Town Centre Shopfront Improvement Grant Scheme guide for applicants
About this grant
The Shopfront Improvement Grant supports our Vision for 2022 - 2026 by helping businesses fulfil their economic potential by improving the appearance of shopfronts. It supports our plan to help local businesses grow and to make our main town centres more attractive and welcoming.
This grant is open to independent businesses with ground floor premises, to improve the appearance of shopfronts 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.
You can apply for up to £2,000 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 £4,000 the grant will contribute £2,000 and you will need to fund £2,000. If your project costs £8,000 the grant will contribute £2,000 and you will need to fund £6,000. There is no minimum grant amount.
The grant is only paid after the work has been completed, and you've shown us evidence. We cannot release funding in advance.
This grant is only open to new applicants. If you have been awarded a Shopfront Improvement Grant in the past, you cannot apply for this round of funding.
Aim
The aim of the Shopfront Improvement Grant scheme is to help business property owners invest in their buildings and improve the overall quality of the local street scene. By improving the appearance of shopfronts, we can help make our towns more appealing for people to visit, shop, invest and live in.
To achieve this, your proposed improvements must:
- suit the character and age of the building
- use high‑quality, durable materials
- support a more attractive and vibrant town centre
- evidence value for money
Eligibility
- all types of business sectors can apply
- you are a new applicant - if you have been awarded a Shopfront Improvement Grant in the past, you cannot apply for this round of funding.
- you are the owner or independent business tenant (with written permission of the owner) of a ground floor commercial property in one of the named streets in Arundel, Bognor Regis or Littlehampton listed below:
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
Please note: You can only submit one application per property. If you want to apply for more than one property, you must complete separate applications.
Match Funding
You can apply for up to £2,000 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 | £2,000 | £3,000 |
| £8,500 | £2,000 | £6,500 |
What the grant can be used for
We provide funding for improvements to the outside of your shop where it faces the street. We cannot fund any work inside the building.
You can apply for small repairs or larger projects.
Examples of generally acceptable costs include:
- external painting
- new or replacement rainwater goods
- fascia, soffit or bargeboard repairs
- repairs to wooden or masonry windowsills
- repairs to timber windows or doors
- removing redundant signage, shutters, wiring or alarms
- clearing vegetation from guttering
- installing new windows or doors (with consent where required)
- repairing traditional shopfronts
- stone or masonry repairs and repointing
- like‑for‑like signage replacement
- new signage (subject to planning permission)
- new shopfronts (subject to planning permission)
- new awnings (subject to planning permission)
- replacement feature lighting for signage
- repairs to decorative features
- access improvements such as step‑free entry (with consent where required)
This list does not include every possible cost the grant could be used for. If you have another cost that clearly helps improve the appearance of your unit, you may include it in your application.
Costs we cannot fund
- statutory fees (including planning fees or building control)
- architect or consultant fees
- professional fees such as solicitors or surveyors
- insurance costs
- interest charges
Evidencing value for money
You must submit quotes for all labour and materials. 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.
If you plan to carry out the work yourself, only material costs will be considered. Include an itemised list showing the cost of each material.
Insurance
You, your contractor or your agent are responsible for insuring against all risks linked to the works, including public liability and employer liability where these apply. We do not insure or replace items or services bought with the grant.
Owner consent
Owners of business premises within the named streets in the district can apply for this Shopfront Improvement Grant.
Tenants may also apply if they have written permission from the property owner or agent. The owner or agent must sign the application form to confirm their consent.
Statutory consent
Some types of work may need planning permission, building control approval or listed building consent. You must secure all permissions and approvals before work begins.
Starting work
Do not begin the works until you have received a formal Letter of Offer from us. We cannot fund any work that has already started.
Payment of grant funding
You must not make purchases until you receive written confirmation of your grant award from us. If you do, your grant may not be paid.
Grant funds are released after you've sent evidence that the approved items have been purchased and we have inspected the completed works. You must notify us when the project is finished so we can arrange the inspection.
Assessment criteria
We give priority to projects that improve the whole front of the building. We may also fund work to the side or back of the property if it can be clearly seen from the street and is part of a wider project that includes the front.
We are particularly interested in funding projects that:
- improve the complete street‑facing frontage of the property
- have a positive effect on the wider street scene
- focus on prominent buildings or groups of buildings where improvements can make a noticeable difference
- repair or reinstate traditional architectural or historic features using traditional materials, if appropriate
- introduce thoughtful, high‑quality design elements to modern buildings
Funding is limited, so applications are assessed competitively. Each application is judged on its own strengths by a scoring panel. If we receive more applications than we can fund, we may update the scoring criteria.
Your application will be assessed using the following criteria:
- value for money (50 points): how the cost relates to the benefit of the proposed improvements
- need for the project (25 points): the current condition of the property
- effect on the street scene (25 points): the level of visible improvement the project will bring
Application process
Applications will be reviewed in the order we receive them. Applications are assessed once a month by a panel on the following dates:
- 15 April 2026
- 20 May 2026
- 17 June 2026
- 15 July 2026
- 19 August 2026
- 16 September 2026
- 21 October 2026
- 18 November 2026
- 16 December 2026
- 20 January 2027
- 17 February 2027
- 17 March 2027
We will continue to review applications until the total grant fund has been fully allocated.
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:
Explain why the improvements are needed
- what is the problem with the shopfront as it is?
- how does this affect your business
- how does this affect the look of the street?
Describe your improvement project
- tell us what improvements the grant would be used towards
Show that the costs offer value for money
- show us that the costs are fair and reasonable (by including quotes)
You can attach a separate document with this information if you need more space.
Supporting documents you'll need to upload:
- images of your current shopfront
- evidence of business registration (if registered)
- cost breakdown
- 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 Shopfront Improvement Grant
If we receive your application after the panel meeting for that month, it will be reviewed at the next scheduled meeting.
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.
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.