Funding available to improve shopfronts on Glasgow’s High Street

Funding for shopfront improvements on Glasgow’s High Street and Saltmarket is available from Glasgow City Council’s Independent Retail Fund (IRF).

The fund is available as grants to tenants and owners of occupied shop units in the conservation area, and on selected periphery streets.

Up to £3,000 will be available for single units, with up to £5,000 for double units, and the work to rejuvenate the shopfronts can include painting, new signage, external stonework repair, canopy installation, feature lighting and other methods.

Cllr Angus Millar, Chair of the High Street Reference Group, said: ‘Supporting the historic heart of Glasgow is the central focus of our High Street Area Strategy, and I hope this grant funding for shopfront improvements will help contribute to a unique local identity, drive increased footfall and benefit local businesses and the economy.  The diverse range of retail premises on High Street and Saltmarket are a great fit for such improvements, so any interested local businesses should apply as soon as they can.’

The IRF is part of the High Street Area Strategy, which is delivering a series of projects and interventions to highlight the heritage of the area, with the aim of increasing footfall and economic growth while improving the appearance of the shopping areas.

A number of shopfronts have already benefited from the funding, which is available on a first come first served basis.

In related news, £25m of funding has been announced by the Scottish government to support regenerative community projects and local economies in some of Scotland’s more disadvantaged and rural areas.

The Regeneration Capital Grant Fund will support 22 locally developed place-based projects that tackle inequalities and promote sustainable and inclusive economic recovery from the pandemic.

Photo supplied by Glasgow City Council