£9m made available to town centres to aid Covid recovery

THE Welsh Government has made up to £9m available to help town centres recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government Hannah Blythyn has announced up to £5.3m from the Transforming Towns programme will be used to fund adaptions in town centres to support traders and improve public safety in response to coronavirus.

A further £3.7m of Valleys Taskforce funding will be invested to enhance small town centres in the Valleys region.

Ms Blythyn said the £5.3m repurposed capital funding from the Transforming Towns programme will be used to fund changes in town centres to help trading and public safety.

This will include, but not be limited to, outdoor awnings, outdoor tables and chairs, outdoor heating, outdoor screening, bollards, planters, small green infrastructure schemes, electricity supply and lighting to outdoor trading spaces and the temporary use of vacant buildings and the establishment of local markets.

Ms Blythyn said: “We all know that town centres are facing huge challenges in light of Covid-19 but I am committed to ensuring Welsh town centres not only survive but thrive. Investing in our town centres is as relevant as ever but as we do not yet now the longer term impact coronavirus will have on our town centres, it is vital any short term actions have a lasting impact and enhance the look and feel of our town centres.

“This is why I’m announcing that £5.3 million will be available during the remainder of 2020-21 to fund adaptations in town centres, which will facilitate trading and public safety in response to coronavirus.

“This will include things like outdoor tables and chairs, awnings and planters to ensure that areas are segregated and safe and that business can operate under current social distancing requirements.

“These actions will provide a sense of wellbeing, safety and confidence to encourage people to return to the high street.

“As we plan to reopen our public spaces and town centres, we have a unique opportunity to re-think and to re-imagine our town centres as we would like them to be – greener, cleaner, more connected.”

Ben Cottam, from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Wales, and a member of the Ministerial Town Centre Action Group, said: “FSB is very pleased to see that Welsh Government in creating this fund, has recognised the challenges faced by town centre businesses, particularly as they grappled with issues around the current pandemic and we very much welcome the fund.”