• Swindon & Wiltshire Retail
• Monday August 24 2026

Broadmead businesses offered grants to seize pedestrian-friendly future

Broadmead businesses and community organisations are being offered grants of up to £1,500 to extend opening hours, improve outdoor trading, and capitalise on major changes reshaping Bristol city centre.

Bristol City Council has launched the Broadmead Activation Grant, aimed at helping independent firms test new ideas, attract customers and navigate transport and public realm works under the wider Broadmead Transformation Programme.

Funding is available to organisations on streets affected by the Bristol on the Move programme, including The Horsefair, Penn Street, The Arcade, Bond Street, Union Street and Merchant Street.

Applicants on The Horsefair, Penn Street and The Arcade will receive additional weighting, reflecting the potential impact of planned traffic and bus-stop changes in those priority locations.

Two grant streams are available. Extended Opening Hours Grants will provide up to £1,500 for businesses seeking to trial later trading, events or activities designed to capture increased evening footfall.

Pavement Grants, also worth up to £1,500, will support hospitality businesses and community hubs looking to use newly pedestrian-friendly space for outdoor seating and trading.

Examples include galleries staging later exhibitions and workshops, independent retailers opening on selected evenings, and cafés funding pavement licences and outdoor furniture.

Councillor Ed Plowden, chair of the transport and connectivity committee, said the transport changes beginning on 30 August marked “an important first step in creating a more people-friendly city centre”.

“By reducing through traffic and improving public spaces, we’re creating new opportunities for businesses to connect with customers and benefit from a more welcoming environment,” he said.

“These grants will help local organisations make the most of those changes, test new ideas and play an active role in Broadmead’s transformation.”

Councillor Andrew Brown, chair of the economy and skills committee, said Broadmead remained “a vital part of Bristol’s economy”.

“These grants provide practical funding to help businesses attract new customers, trial different ways of working and build resilience for the future,” he said.

“By supporting our independent businesses and community organisations, we’re helping to strengthen Broadmead’s economic offer and create a thriving destination for residents and visitors alike.”

The scheme will fund activity taking place between January and September 2027. Eligible applicants include independent businesses, charities, community interest companies, voluntary groups, social enterprises and sole traders with premises in the designated area.

Applicants must be consumer-facing organisations in retail, health and beauty, culture or hospitality, and small companies must have a balance sheet of no more than £7.5m.

Franchises controlled by franchisors, betting shops, vape shops, fast-food outlets and gaming venues are among those excluded.

Applications close on October 28. The programme is backed by UK Government funding through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, secured by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.