Dunbar Shopfront Improvement Grant 2025
A new initiative to complement the ongoing regeneration of Dunbar town centre has been launched by East Lothian Council.
The Dunbar Shopfront Improvement Grant Scheme has been developed to provide support to business owners and community organisations to repair or enhance the visual appearance of their property within the historic town centre environment.
East Lothian Council are currently delivering the Dunbar Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) in the town centre, with funding from Historic Environment Scotland, focusing on providing grant funding towards the appropriate repair of traditional buildings.
The Dunbar Shopfront Improvement Grant Scheme will provide an additional and complimentary source of grant funding to support the town centre businesses to create a positive impact with the aim of encouraging more people to visit and use the town's fantastic shops and services. The Dunbar Shopfront Improvement Grant Scheme is funded by the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund.
Grants of up to 75% of eligible costs are available, up to a maximum of £3,000. As the fund is limited, all applications received will be assessed in terms of the fund priorities, including how any proposals meet the objectives of Dunbar CARS and the enhancement of the historic town centre , with grant awards made accordingly. Further information on changes to shopfronts can be found within the Supplementary Planning Guidance.
Funded works can include redecoration, new signage, repairs to shopfronts, reinstatement of missing architectural details or replacement of the shopfront with a new frontage. The fund is now open for applications with an initial deadline for submissions of Monday 16 June 2025. A second round of funding will open in July for submissions in early August.
This scheme follows on from the recent Shopfront Improvement Grant Schemes in Prestonpans and Haddington, with more shopfront improvement grant schemes being planned for delivery across the county, working with local communities to ensure the investment is delivered to benefit each settlement, town centre or local area.
For further information on the Dunbar Shopfront Improvement Grant Scheme or Dunbar CARS, please email regeneration@eastlothian.gov.uk