Denbighshire County Council is to invite the owners and leaseholders of retail and commercial buildings located in Rhyl Town Centre to apply for generous grant funding to enhance their shop frontages.

The Property Development Grant is a regional scheme funded by the Welsh Government as part of its Transforming Towns Programme. The owners and leaseholders (leaseholders must have a minimum of 7 years remaining on their lease) of eligible buildings will be able to apply for a grant of between £5,000 and £50,000, with a match funding requirement of 30%.

The aim of the scheme is to enhance the appearance of the frontages of existing businesses, to bring vacant commercial floor space back into beneficial use, and to repurpose properties where appropriate, a key element of the Rhyl Town Centre Vision, a vision that will shape the future of the Town Centre over the next 15 years.

There are numerous ways that businesses can advertise and promote their products and services in 2023. There’s social media, television, radio, newspapers and magazines, or even the old flyer through the letterbox. But once you’re out and about in a town, there’s nothing as valuable as an attractive, interesting or enticing shop or restaurant window and signage to tempt you through the door and (they hope!) spend your money. For businesses currently considering investing in improvements and enhancements to their properties’ frontages, this might well provide the necessary incentive to move forwards with their plans.

As is the way with high streets and town centres today, more than ever, businesses come and go, there are changes in use and changes in the appearance of retail units. However, where buildings, shops particularly, are left vacant for extended periods of time, a town is not only affected by the loss of the business itself but also the employment it once provided. Where such empty premises are not regularly maintained, their presence can prove to be detrimental to the appearance and people’s perception of adjacent shops and buildings, or even the town. Bringing these units back into use would be of benefit to everyone.

According to Jason McLellan, Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Economic Growth & Tackling Deprivation:

“This is an excellent opportunity for eligible businesses located in Rhyl Town Centre to help them to literally improve their shop window. The old adage ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ could also be said to apply to the way we shop. How many of us judge a shop, restaurant or take-away by its frontage or window as we decide whether it is worth a visit or not, before we venture through the door? Denbighshire County Council’s Welsh Government funded scheme will allow us to enhance the appearance of our existing business frontages, as well as helping the owners and leaseholders who wish to make use of and repurpose vacant spaces which they own or lease.”

Further details regarding the scheme, as well as application details are available at: www.denbighshire.gov.uk