Charnwood Borough Council funding boost to help local high streets reopen

• Charnwood Borough Council will receive £165,450 to help local high streets reopen and attract shoppers and tourists.
• Government investing a total of £56 million through the Welcome Back Fund to help councils prepare for the end of lockdown when it is safe to do so.
• This is part of a wider package of measures to revitalise high streets and level up communities – including steps to make it easier for eateries to serve customers outdoors and set up market stalls this Summer.

Improvements can be made to local high streets across Charnwood to help them safely and successfully open after lockdown thanks to Government funding.

A total of £56 million will be invested through the new Welcome Back Fund to help councils across England boost tourism, improve green spaces and provide more outdoor seating areas, markets and food stall pop-ups – giving people more, safer options to reunite with friends and relatives this Summer.

Loughborough MP Jane Hunt said she was delighted that Charnwood Borough Council is getting £165,450 and looks forward to seeing how the money will be spent to help attract people back to the high streets post-lockdown.

Councils can use the funding to hold street markets and festivals, boost the look and feel of their high streets, with more seating areas and street planting or less graffiti, and install new signage to help keep people safe as restrictions are lifted.

This is part of a package announced by the Government to attract people back to high streets safely this Summer, including:

• Making it easier for hospitality businesses to operate as takeaways and host markets and stalls.
• Enabling businesses like pubs and restaurants to use their land more flexibly, for example by setting up a marquee or creating new outside space, for the whole summer, so they can serve more customers and recover from the effects of the pandemic.
• Extending pavement licenses for another 12 months, so venues can continue serving customers ‘al fresco’ for longer without red tape. Tackling Cowboy private parking firms whose rogue practices can keep visitors away from town.

Next month will also see the opening of the new Careers and Enterprise Hub in Loughborough town centre after a £750,000 award from Government. Taken together, it represents an exciting future for high streets locally.

Commenting, Jane said:

“I know how difficult it has been for businesses on our high streets over the last year, and I am determined to secure them all the help they need to recover.

“That is why I am delighted that our area will receive £165,450 as part of the Government’s new Welcome Back Fund, which will help our high streets to reopen safely and successfully this Summer as restrictions lift.

“This is an exciting time for our high streets locally as we will also shortly see the opening of the Loughborough Careers and Enterprise Hub. With this financial help, I am certain we will quickly bounce back after what has been a difficult year.”