A scheme to help traders in Trafford town and village centres give their shops the wow factor and expand has been a huge success.
The second round of the Trafford Town Centre Shop Improvement Grant scheme, funded by Greater Manchester Combined Authority, has benefited 23 new and established businesses.
Recipients demonstrating strong business plans have been granted up to £10,000 each, which they must match fund, to make changes that will help them to grow and thrive.
The initiative has created 33 new full-time equivalent jobs in 2025/26 and led to the refurbishment of 2,460 square metres of improved commercial floorspace. The scheme has also brought in a further £1m in investment made by grant recipients.
One business to benefit is the West Beverly café, restaurant and bar in Shaw’s Road, Altrincham. Owner Justin Orozco said:
“Thanks to the scheme we’ve been able to expand, adding a 26-seater area in the back garden under a canopy structure, and with awesome ceramic floor tiles.
“It is going to be amazing and almost double the space that we have here. We’ve been here a couple of years, having branched out from our original business California Coffee and Wine in Oxford Road and we now have 36 employees.
“We’ve spent £35,000 on expanding this year and the grant money is a good chunk of that which has really made it happen for us.”
Another recipient was Fountain Records on Stretford’s brand-new King Street precinct. Owner Nigel Young said:
“When we moved from Stretford Mall we had a whole unit to kit out and the grant has really helped with that. Now we have a lovely, modern interior and shop front that everybody likes and comments on when they come in.”
Ground-floor premises in Altrincham, Sale, Stretford, Urmston, Hale, Sale Moor, and Timperley were all eligible. Improvements have transformed the look of shop fronts and made them more accessible and sustainable.
Cllr Liz Patel, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration, said:
"The aim has been to support new start-up businesses and help existing ones thrive – which in turn has created new jobs and improved the economic growth and wellbeing of Trafford.
“Trafford has great town and village centres and we want them to keep developing and improving so there is always something new and exciting to attract residents and visitors to spend time and money there. One of the Council’s priorities is to foster a thriving economy and the Shop Improvement Grant scheme is one way that we can make this happen.”
In its first two years, the scheme has helped 77 businesses create 92 new full time equivalent jobs, improved 5,445 square metres of commercial floorspace and saved 45,000kg of carbon.