RetailTerms and Conditions

Grants are awarded by a panel and are subject to the following conditions:

• The Grant is to be made available to applicants operating from any retail premises/businesses in East Durham which meet the recognised planning classification A1 A3 A5.
• The Grant is only available to retail businesses with 8 retail outlets or less.
• Applications for grant will be decided by an independent grant panel
• Applicants will be invited to take part in Mentoring scheme if they feel they would benefit from independent advice.
• The Grant may be accessed as part of a speculative building project, at the discretion of the grants panel providing a tenant will be in situ within 6 months.
• Any improvements works carried out to the property should be outlined in the application and should not deviate from the agreed works, unless permission is sought from the panel and agreed.
• In all cases (unless agreed otherwise) TWO competitive quotations for the equipment / works must be submitted with the application.
• Work / equipment purchase relating to the grant application must NOT be commenced before the grant has been approved and a written offer of grant is made and accepted.
• Conditions will be attached to grant offers covering standards of workmanship. These conditions must be complied with if the grant is to be paid. All work relating to the grant will be inspected and has to be signed off before the grant will be paid.
• The works / equipment must be made available for inspection during progress and on completion of the project.
• The expenditure must take place and the grant claimed within 6 months of the written offer of grant., or beofre the end of february in the finanacial year of application.
• The grant may be recovered in whole or in part if the business is sold within three years of the final payment, the payback scale being:
  • Business Sold within 1 year – Full Grant payback
  • Business Sold within 2 years – 66% Grant payback
  • Business Sold within 3 years – 33% Grant payback
• Any removable equipment purchased with the grant shall not be removed from the business premises whilst the business is still trading without the written consent of East Durham Business Service.
• Any works carried out must meet with the legislative requirements such as the DDA Act 1995.
• In all cases the owner of the property must sign the application. A joint declaration that both parties agree (where this is the case) to the works / equipment fit as listed in the application has to be included in the application.
• The applicant must agree to provide details on impact improvements have made to turnover if requested
• The retail business operating within the premises must not involve or in any way be connected with:
  • Nude/ semi nude modelling
  • Gambling
  • Offering sexual services of any kind.
  • Pornography
  • The promotion of particular religions or political views.
  • Any illegal activity.
  • Any other activity, which EDBS has indicated, it does not regard as suitable for support from public funds.
• Any award of a grant is classed as “de minimis” aid under State Aid rules. This means if you apply for grant funding from any other public body, you will need to inform them of the amount of the Retail Improvement Grant you have received, and that it was ‘de minimus’.
• All grant schemes are ultimately discretionary and are subject to the availability of funds. The inclusion of a property within the boundaries of East Durham does not give entitlement to a grant; neither does the submission of a completed grant application form.
• East Durham Business Service reserves the right to publicise the awarding of any of the grants it operates.
• The busienss must be suitable for public funding as defined by East Durham Business Service, which is offering finanacial support via Area Based Grant.
• Where a shop premises is to be alteredto alternate use ie an office, the retail facade of the premisesmust be in keeping with the locale.