Evening and Night time Economy (ENTE) Business Grant

The district council is committed to supporting the evening and night time economy (ENTE). This is an area of focus noted in our updated Economic Development Strategy.

Grant funding is available to support independent businesses operating in the evening and nighttime economy. Businesses must have a physical premises on the high street in Chichester, East Wittering, Midhurst, Petworth or Selsey.

Businesses with plans to start trading during the evening and night-time are also eligible to apply for projects which will bring forward their new trading pattern.

It is a requirement of this grant scheme that applicants provide a copy of their current business plan to accompany the application.

• Aims and benefits
• Funding criteria
• What the grant covers
• Exclusions and restrictions
• Qualification requirements
• Application process
• How applicants will be assessed

Aims and benefits

The grant scheme can provide funding to help businesses to:

• Develop a new offering for their customers.
• Attract more customers to increase footfall and spend.
• Present a more compelling experience to customers.
• Collaborate with other high street businesses to offer evening entertainment.

Funding criteria

Funding assistance is available towards capital or revenue projects to:

• Enhance the interior environment and / or customer experience.
• Invest in equipment to mitigate sound impacts or improve sound quality.
• Promote activities to attract customers to new trading times.
• Co-ordinate events with other high street ENTE businesses to widen the offer.
• Contribute to improved business operation, efficiency and competitiveness.

Funding is available to independent businesses not part of any regional, national or international chain or franchise.

The grant available will be up to 50% of eligible costs, to a maximum contribution of £3,000. The business must contribute the remaining 50%.

What the grant covers

Possible work that the grant could cover includes:

• Costs associated with producing a noise management plan required in connections with a licensing and/or planning application to have live music/performance.
• Professional services such as acoustic consultants, architects, or licensing experts needed to meet environmental health or licensing requirements.
• Soundproofing works, such as installing acoustic panels or secondary glazing to manage live/amplified music noise.
• New kitchen installations or upgrades to enable evening dining - including ovens, fridges, dishwashers or extraction systems.
• Heating and cooling installations to make evening venues more comfortable and energy efficient for extended hours.
• Creation of lounge or seating areas for new night-time uses (e.g. tapas bar in a café).
• Venue transformation costs to allow multi-use: e.g., turning a daytime gallery, café or bookshop into an evening music or comedy club.
• External branding enhancements to shop frontages.
• Outdoor seating and furniture, where planning permits - enabling alfresco dining or socialising after dark.
•  Live performance infrastructure, including stage lighting rigs, speakers, or DJ booths.
• Joint initiatives such as themed evenings, open-late events, or town-wide cultural trails coordinated by multiple businesses.
• Digital advertising, such as geo-targeted social media ads promoting extended hours or new night-time offers.
• Upgrading accessibility, for example better lighting or wayfinding to improve safety and access at night.
• Adaptation of underused upper floors or outbuildings for evening use (e.g. events, classes, tastings).
• New crime prevention/safety measures such as CCTV and lighting.

Exclusions and restrictions

• 'Business as usual' activity (For example, routine maintenance, stock, staffing costs).
• Retrospective costs for work already undertaken prior to application. A grant cannot be sought for retrospective projects or expenditure or for ongoing costs.
• Businesses that are registered separately at differing premises but share the same directors and are managed together will only be eligible to make one application i.e., a group of businesses, managed by the same director(s), will be seen as one business.
• Business membership organisations, political or religious groups.

Qualification requirements

To be considered for this grant businesses will be required to:

• Be registered with Companies House or HMRC
• Be operating from a physical commercial premises within one of the high streets of Chichester, East Wittering, Midhurst, Petworth or Selsey and have fewer than 6 stores.
• Not be part of any regional, national or international chain or franchise.
• Have 50% match funding in place.
• Have permission of the property owner to carry out any proposed works on the premises (where applicable).

Application process

Applications must be via the online application form - link provided below

Applications are open on 8 September 2025. The closing date is midnight 5 October.

There will be a webinar on Tuesday 16 September to assist potential applicants with understanding the application process and whether their proposed project would be eligible. Businesses can book their place here - link

How applicants will be assessed

Applications will be scored and assessed by officers using the following criteria:

• Delivery of grant aims and benefits
• Value for money
• Need for the project

A completed grant agreement will be issued to successful applicants and must be signed and returned prior to any work being undertaken or expenditure being incurred.

Please read the Apply for an Evening and Night Time Economy ENTE business grant (Word doc, 22 KB)