Carlow County Council today (7th February 2018) announced details of the Tullow Street Start Up Grant Scheme.
The scheme, designed following consultation with the business community, gives start up enterprises of Tullow Street Vacant Properties a start-up grant valued at 150% of the rateable valuation of their premises after 6 months of trading. The aim of the scheme is to aid regeneration of towns and villages, support job creation by viable businesses, ease financial challenges of start-ups and micro businesses and will be administered by the Local Enterprise Office in Carlow County Council.
Speaking at the launch of the Scheme, Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive with Carlow County Council said “we are delighted to launch the Start Up Grant Scheme today with members of Carlow Chamber and local property agents with an initial fund of €50,000 available during 2018 for this grant”. Holohan continued to say “We understand the challenges that face our Town Centre and have been working on a variety of projects in the context of Carlow Town in order to reverse the effects of changing market conditions and the needs of our communities”. Commenting on the challenges of establishing a business Holohan said “We accept that our town centres enterprises have experienced trading difficulties as a result of changing conditions in the marketplace and this accompanied with the restrictions on both public and private sector investment means we in Carlow have a challenge in order to reimagine our Town Centre for the future”. Holohan concluded by saying that the Council are at advanced stages of having a new public realm plan for Carlow Town Centre which will be unveiled to the public shortly for their commentary and engagement and that Carlow County Council look forward to working in partnership with key stakeholders in order to secure the relevant public and private investment for the future”.
The scheme will be administered by the Local Enterprise Office, Head of Enterprise with Carlow County Council, Kieran Comerford said “As the county begins to recover, there is a requirement for increased investment which necessitates additional sources of funding and this start up grant scheme will be seen as a welcome boost to anybody thinking of starting or developing a business in Tullow Street”, Comerford continued to say “I would encourage people to reach out to the Local Enterprise Office not just to find out about this grant scheme but also about the variety of state supports available to start up and developing companies”.
