A TECH challenge encouraging people to visit Warwickshire town centres post-lockdown is to be launched.
Warwickshire County Council is running the £80,000 scheme supporting projects which encourage people to visit the area.
It follows a survey by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership which found a need for digital products supporting and promoting town centres, engaging customers and improving consumer confidence following the end of the current national lockdown.
Funding between £10,000 and £80,000 is available for up to four initiatives and applications will be judged by a panel of judges of local authority and industry representatives.
County council leader Izzi Seccombe said: “Our town centres were already facing significant challenges and the announcement of further restrictions to the hospitality sector and non-essential retail will be another blow.
“The increased difficulties businesses are facing has accelerated the need for creative and innovative approaches to redefine how town centres promote themselves and our reasons for visiting them.
“Covid 19 has had a significant impact on our town centres. Given the strength of our digital creative community in Warwickshire, we want to encourage and support collaboration between our town centre businesses and this sector, to develop initiatives that will play a vital role in supporting the resilience and recovery of town centres across the area and help to stimulate the local economy.
“We are not being prescriptive about what types of projects should be submitted so, if you have an idea, we want to hear about it.
“We are looking to support up to four initiatives that could be implemented across the county, and we would like applicants to demonstrate partnership working with town centre businesses and organisations for which they are seeking to help.”
All projects must be completed by next March.
Visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/coronavirusbusinesssupport for more information or email stacyoconnor@warwickshire.gov.uk to request a notification when the scheme goes live.
