Stirling Council has allocated £70,000 to Go Forth Stirling Business Improvement District to help local business owners make a bold entrance into 2024.
It is part of a £445,000 package of funding for community-led projects across the Council area through the Place Based Investment Programme, financed by the Scottish Government.
Other projects to benefit include the Doune and Deanston Youth Project, awarded almost £270,000 for a new after school club, and the Killin and Ardeonaig Community Development Trust, awarded £57,000 for a Business and Re-Use Hub.
The Bannockburn and Eastern Village Community Hub has also been allocated £33,000 for a car park and access improvements, with Fallin Community Enterprises also awarded £13,000 for improvements to its Recyke-A-Bike project.
The Place Based Investment Programme opened to applications earlier this year for capital projects that support local area regeneration, community development and economic growth.
Regeneration
Stirling Council leader, Cllr Chris Kane, said: “This year marks the 900th anniversary of Stirling becoming a Royal Burgh and investment in our city centre and shop front improvements will help show Stirling in its best light to residents and visitors as we prepare to embark on a programme of exciting events to mark this milestone.
“All the projects identified for funding through the Place Based Investment Programme will make a real difference to our communities and deliver significant regeneration.
“They have been shaped by our communities and, just as importantly, will be delivered by them. This underpins the aims of Stirling’s economic strategy – to enable opportunities for all, to be sustainable and inclusive, and to help local communities and businesses thrive.”
Local city centre businesses who have benefitted from investment in their shopfronts by the Place Based Investment Programme in recent years include Café Aina, DS MacDonald, House of Henderson, TJ’s and The Golden Lion.
Variety
Danielle McRorie-Smith, Project Director of Go Forth Stirling said: “We are delighted to secure this external funding for city centre businesses to provide more financial support to improve their shopfronts. Shop entrances make a significant contribution to the vitality of Stirling and contribute to a sense of place.
“Our variety of traditional retail units and historic shopfronts adds interest, attracts tourism and is part of what makes our city unique.
"We aim to support the regeneration of Stirling’s conservation area through our new ‘supercharged’ shopfront scheme, which will not only help business owners but also provide a better environment and experience for visitors.”
Doune and Deanston Youth Project (DDYP) runs the highly popular After School Club, Summer Club and Youth Club services from its base in Moray Park, Doune. The new building will safeguard current services and allow the project to offer a greater range of opportunities to the community, including enhanced childcare hours.
Community
Karen Ross, chair of the trustees for Doune and Deanston Youth Project, said: “We have supported young people and their families in our rural community for 21 years. We’ve been working with a temporary building that is over 40 years old and it was presenting a challenge to our future operations.
“However, the new building will allow us to plan for the long-term, ensuring that young people will continue to benefit from our services and allow us to increase the scope of what we do, including opening the venue to more community groups.”
All successful applicants will be allocated a project liaison officer for support and advice, and all projects will be delivered by the end of September 2024.
* Regeneration Fund offers community projects share of £445,000