A government-backed scheme will see Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council offer grants of up to £3,500 for businesses to do up the outside of their shops.

The local authority will cover 60% of the cost of proposed work – up to £3,500 – with the businesses covering the rest.

The project has a budget of £102,000 in total, of which £7,000 will go to the council advising businesses on applying for the grants and sourcing contractors to do the work.

Only independent businesses are eligible for the funding.

Cllr Vivian Branson (Con) said: “It would be totally pointless I think if we started giving big chains and supermarkets grant funding.

“The idea is to encourage the enthusiasm of small businesses which I think are really key around our area.”

At a meeting of TMBC’s cabinet, council economic regeneration manager Jeremy Whittaker told members that the council is developing a database of eligible businesses.

Signage, awnings, painting and anything else relating to the front of independent businesses could be funded with a grant.

The scheme is planned for launch in January or February and businesses will have six to eight weeks to apply.

A similar scheme ran from 2019-21, where the council supported 31 independent businesses.

Bal Pardesi, owner of Plaxtol Village Stores, benefited from the previous scheme.

She thinks the council is right to focus on shopfronts, saying “that’s what’s going to catch people’s attention and catch people’s eyes”.

The previous scheme not only helped pay for redoing the shopfront, but also maintenance work.

“I had all of the shopfront painted, and I had new signage put up.

“And then I think because it’s such an old building, when they started painting it they found all sorts of problems with things being cracked, it was a bit of a mess under there.”

The shop also received council support previously for internal renovations.

She added: “I had a grant from them five years ago to have all the internal done, and they paid again about 60% of the overall figure.

“TMBC, to be honest, with the smaller shops are really really good."

Ms Pardesi thinks that improved shopfronts in particular are good for business.

“The shopfront didn’t look as lovely as it does now, which just means it attracts a different kind of an audience, a different kind of customer.”

Her shop stocks both local produce and fresh foods, as well as serving as the village’s main store and Post Office.

Ms Pardesi says the new signage and shopfront which TMBC helped fund is “very in-keeping with a farm shop style”.