The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Funding to be launched to boost town centres
A grant scheme will be launched to help boost north-east town centres after lockdown.
Aberdeenshire Council will launch the scheme to help town centres bounce back from the economic impact of coronavirus.
The infrastructure services committee unanimously agreed that up to £175,000 of council reserves should be put into the new Aberdeenshire Town Centre Phoenix Fund, which will launch at the end of the month.
It will help collaborative business-led projects in up to 26 towns.
Revenue grants of either £10,000 or £5,000 are being offered to one project in each eligible town centre.
Committee chairman Peter Argyle said: “By the time the social distancing measures are fully relaxed, our town centre economies will have taken another knock. Businesses will need to get going and provide the confidence to their customers to venture back to the high street and we hope the grants will help speed up that process.”
Vice-chairman John Cox believes “there are new opportunities to be embraced” after lockdown.
He added: “The pandemic has renewed our community spirit and residents want to return to our town centres and support local shops, services and trades.
“This could be a good time for businesses in our town centres to work more collaboratively to respond to the ‘new normal’.”
Eligible town centres have been selected using a variety of measures and indicators, but other settlements can express an interest and may be supported if there are funds remaining. To register an intention to apply, email phoenixfund@ aberdeenshire.gov.uk by 5pm on June 26.