Applying for street furnishing grants following Coronavirus
A number of local councils are setting up grant schemes as part of city wide recovery plans following the covid-19 outbreak so its worth being in the know and checking if your local council has business support funding available and whether you are eligible!
The schemes allow for independent restaurants and cafes to apply for grants to help with purchasing appropriate outdoor furniture and other outdoor goods to support their business to operate safely within the government guidelines.
How Do I apply?
Contact your local council to find out if they are offering grants or running schemes to support local business, if they are then you can usually submit an application online for funding. Most will require a copy of the quote for the items you would like to purchase and a copy of the plan with your proposed layout for outside seating. We can provide a formal quote by email so contact us for a same day quote with detailed pricing for you to submit with your application. All of our quotes are valid for 30 days so you have plenty of time to secure your funding before finalising the order.
Many schemes won’t have a specific deadline for applications but will continue to accept applications until all funds are allocated so its worth acting quickly to secure funds if you are eligible!
How do I know if I am eligible?
Again, this will be a case of contacting your local authority. Grants are generally for independent businesses and there will be certain criteria you will need to meet. You should be able to find this information online or by contacting the council.
Most grants are for businesses that provide table service food and either already have a street license or have applied for a temporary one under new government guidance. Applying for a street café or pavement licence can usually processed online. More information can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pavement-licences-draft-guidance/draft-guidance-pavement-licences-outdoor-seating-proposal
What can the grants be spent on?
This will ultimately depend on your local council and you would need to contact your local council or visit their websites for details but most grants are for the purchase of physical goods so this could include furniture such as tables and chairs, social distancing barriers, heaters or other items that enable you to comply with local policies relating to street café trading or pathway licensing.
Any furniture you purchase should be suitable for outdoor use so make sure you are buying from a reputable company and preferably one that specialises in furniture for contract and commercial use. Its important to choose tables and chairs that are of a high quality and that are complimentary to the surrounding area. At Trent Furniture we stock a wide range of outdoor furniture and chairs such as our Monaco Chairs which come in a choice of colours and finishes so that you can select a look that fits in well with your local area.
What happens if I am successful in obtaining a grant?
Once the grant has been approved and you have an agreement in place you will be able to purchase the goods so you would just need to contact the supplier of your selected quote and request to go ahead with the order. As our quotes are valid for 30 days, it gives you plenty of time to get everything in place before finalising the order. Once the goods have been purchased and delivered you will be able to set them up in the agreed outdoor space or street side area in line with the local licensing requirements. Again, these requirements will be specific to your local government.
You will usually need to provide proof of payment via bank statement and relevant receipts or invoices to submit your claim and the local authority to release payment.
If you need a quote for outdoor furniture then please do get in contact with us at Trent Furniture. We are based in Leicester and offer fast nationwide delivery. We stock a wide range of outdoor chairs and tables that are weather resistant, stackable and easy to store! We may be able to offer discount on bulk orders and to help businesses to operate safely under the new guidelines so please do not hesitate to get in contact with us on 0116 286 4911.
You can view our full range of outdoor furniture online here
Links to local schemes
Leicester - https://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council/coronavirus/coronavirus-business-support-grant-funding/street-cafe-furnishings-grant/
Swansea - https://www.swansea.gov.uk/outdooradaptationgrant
Pembrokeshire - https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/business-advice-and-support/cafe-culture-grant
Liverpool - https://liverpool.gov.uk/withoutwallsfund