New Kirkham estate agency, Jusa Homes said council funding has been a welcome cash injection to help make their dreams come true.
Jusa Homes is the latest local business to benefit from a £10,000 grant dedicated to boosting town centres across the borough.
Julie Hardy and Sarah Temmen set up Jusa Homes at the end of last year and celebrated the official opening of their high street premises at the beginning of April.
They received £10,000 as part of the ARG Vacant Premises Grant available from Fylde Council which is available for businesses locating to, or expanding into, vacant town centre premises.Sarah explains: “The ARG grant has enabled us to open on the high street and introduce the letting side of the business – it was a very welcome cash injection.
“We feel that our clients deserve face-to-face interaction and a friendly personal service, and although we have a great online offering, we’re not just behind a phone or computer. That’s why we always wanted a presence on the high street.”
The business partners chose Kirkham as their location after being inspired by the exciting regeneration plans for the town.
Julie added: “We thought it was really nice to open in Kirkham and be part of the town centre regeneration scheme right from the start.
“The local community has welcomed us with open arms. Everyone has helped and been so supportive that we wanted to give something back, so we have become involved with the Kickstart scheme, which is a training scheme to help young people into employment.
“The property market is booming at the moment due to various Government incentives and the fact that many people have accrued savings during lockdown. We sold one property within three hours!
“We’re extremely pleased the ARG grant gave us the opportunity to strike while the iron is hot and establish our business in the heart of Kirkham.”
Councillor Richard Redcliffe, Chair of the Town Centre Working Group, was pleased to officially congratulate the Jusa founders on their success.
He said: “Julie and Sarah have obviously worked very hard to get their business up and running, and I’m delighted that the ARG grant has been a great benefit to them.
“It’s a prime example of what the support is there for – to give businesses a boost and help create bustling local high streets.”
Funding from the ARG Vacant Premises Grant is still available and businesses that meet the following key criteria can apply until 31 December 2021:
- Moving or expanding into a vacant premise in the town centre
- Offering an in-person service that would generate footfall
- Is a small independent sole trader/operator or locally based chain
- Premises must be in specific locations and include ground floor shop frontage
Applications will also be assessed on whether the business operates in a priority sector for the local economy which includes retail, hospitality, leisure and tourism and whether it fills a gap in the market to attract people to the town centres throughout the week.
The grant would also support costs from operating in a Covid-secure manner such as one-way systems, plastic screens, procurement of PPE and hygiene provisions, or employment of additional staff to manage Covid-secure measures.
Full terms and conditions and details about how to apply can be found here
For more information on Covid-19 support grants click here
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