Scotland’s Towns Partnership are inviting applications from eligible constituted groups to the Towns and BIDs Resilience and Recovery Fund. The £2 million fund, announced by the Scottish Government on 12th June 2020, is intended to support localised response activities contributing to town centre and high street resilience and recovery.
£1 million has been allocated directly to towns to address immediate priorities as lockdown restrictions are gradually eased. A separate funding stream of £700,000 will be allocated to Business Improvement Districts from September 2020, when the current BIDs Resilience Fund expires.
Phil Prentice, Chief Officer, Scotland’s Towns Partnership notes: “This funding is a hugely welcome announcement
from the Scottish Government because now is the time to turn our attention to the national recovery and any recovery of this nature is going to have to begin in our local towns. My plea to towns across the country is to get together, get creative, and get in touch with us with your proposals. We’re here to help as our town centres begin to reopen and this fund recognises that some parts of the country will need a small investment to get their ideas and recovery projects up and running.
“We’ve been talking about what our towns and high streets look like in the future for many years, but now is the time for action. On the far side of this difficult crisis, there will be opportunity to develop a vision for the future and that sort of renewal needs new thinking and innovation.
“Our high streets aren’t just a series of buildings where things are bought and sold. The people who run local businesses are our brothers and sisters, our friends, our aunts and uncles, our neighbours. This isn’t just about keeping shop units occupied, it’s about supporting the very fabric of our society and community.”
More information: https://www.scotlandstowns.org/towns_and_bids_resilience_and_recovery_fund_2020
(Update provided by Scotland’s Towns Partnership)
