New businesses are encouraged to apply for newly launched support grants, up to £10,000, designed to help fledgling enterprises thrive.

Aimed at businesses opened since January 2020 and impacted by the pandemic, this latest business start-up during COVID grant, joins a wider £2.6m Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) grants programme currently being delivered by the council.

Two further grants within this government-funded programme are the cultural grant scheme to support those organising events in Bromley, and the grant for occupying a vacant unit, which helps businesses moving into vacant Bromley premises.

Early applications are recommended as decisions are made on a first-come-first-serve basis for eligible businesses. Each grant has its own criteria with more information at www.bromley.gov.uk/businessgrants where businesses can also apply.

Councillor Peter Morgan, Executive Councillor for Renewal, Recreation and Housing at Bromley Council said: “Bromley has always been home to thriving start- up businesses and I welcome this new grant which supports such entrepreneurship, in what is a difficult trading climate as we recover from COVID-19. In the last two-years, we have delivered over £10m in grants to more than 3,500 Bromley businesses across a number of grant schemes, which has helped to ensure we continue to be a borough of opportunities for both businesses and residents. I encourage businesses to apply for our grants, not just for new businesses, but also more established operations too.” 

Start up grant

The start-up during COVID grant can provide up to £10,000 to businesses across the borough that started operating since 1 January 2020 and were impacted by the pandemic. The deadline for this grant is 31 January 2022. 

Cultural grant

The cultural grant is taking applications for grants of up to £20,000 to help organise cultural events in the borough. Applications are being accepted for activities such as theatrical productions, family art activities, or traditional live music. Applications can be taken from cultural and creative organisations or self-employed performers and the deadline for this grant is also 31 January 2022

Vacant unit grant

The grant for occupying a vacant unit provides up to £50,000 to businesses looking to occupy vacant units in Bromley, which could be a high street shop, office or industrial units. Businesses do not currently need to be based in Bromley to receive this grant and the application deadline is 31 December 2021

Business growth grant

The business growth grant, which was previously available as part of this grant programme, closed on Wednesday 8 December following a large number of welcome applications. 

Further information

New businesses may also be interested in a £120,000 scheme providing business lounge facilities to aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs - free of charge. The Start Up Bromley initiative is currently operating at three Bromley libraries (Bromley Central, Orpington, Biggin Hill), with facilities such as professional and flexible workspaces, state of the art IT equipment, and conference facilities. 
Find out more at www.better.org.uk/library/london/bromley/bromley-central-library/start-up-bromley

Ends 

Editors’ notes 

Further details about Additional Restrictions Grants, including how to submit an online application, are available at www.bromley.gov.uk/businessgrants 

To find out when other business grant schemes become available, please subscribe to the business newsletter

For media enquiries, please contact James George, Public Affairs, on 020 8313 4565 or email james.george@bromley.gov.uk 

Published: 9th December 2021