March 2021 news

This month, find out about our vision for the future of Temple Quarter and St Philip’s Marsh, one of the UK's largest regeneration projects, and hear how the people of Bristol can help shape the plans.

You can also read about the latest support available for businesses and how to book your place when Engine Shed re-opens.

Watch the video below to hear about the plans for Temple Quarter and St Philip's Marsh from Bristol Mayor, Marvin Rees.

Temple Quarter and St Philip’s Marsh – a vision for the future

Temple Quarter and St Philip’s Marsh – read our vision for the future
The plans for Temple Quarter and St Philip's Marsh include sustainable homes, new jobs, and a refurbished Bristol Temple Meads station at its heart.

The transformation of the area is one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects, covering over 130 hectares of land. Over the next 25 years, the project is expected to create up to 10,000 new homes, 22,000 jobs and bring £1.6 billion to our city’s economy each year.

You can read the new vision document on the Temple Quarter website, and find out more about the project.

Engaging with residents, businesses and local groups to shape Bristol's future

As part of our proposals for the Temple Quarter and St Philip's Marsh regeneration, Bristol City Council is developing a plan for public and business engagement for the next 12 months.

We want to speak directly to local communities, businesses and interest groups to ensure their voices are heard, and will use their feedback to inform and shape the development of proposals for the area as the Temple Quarter and St Philip’s Marsh Development Framework is written.

We'll be sharing more information about how you can get involved in the near future.

Business support grants from government

If your business has been closed or severely financially impacted as a result of COVID-19, check your eligibility and make sure you have applied for a business support grant.

Make sure your business applies for the right grant:

Discretionary support grant: Open to applications from the self-employed and sole traders as well as small or micro businesses across all sectors
The discretionary support grant covers the: Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) and Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open): under one application process
Local Restrictions Support Grant (Addendum, Closed, Sector): If you are registered for business rates and have been told to close at any point since the November lockdown, make sure you have applied

Applications received will be assessed against the eligibility criteria and grants will be awarded dependent on the size of the business or the rateable value of the business premises.

Businesses who have already been paid a grant since November, do not apply again as you will automatically be paid under the later schemes.

Businesses that received payment from the Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund (LADGF) from May to July 2020 will need to apply for the ARG again.

Visit our website for further details on the grants available and to apply.

New Business Growth Grants available from the West of England Combined Authority

Business Growth Grants are designed to support SMEs in the Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire with their plans to drive growth by implementing new business practices or adopting new ways of working.

Grants of between £1,500 and £6,000 will be available to support businesses to adapt to challenges due to COVID-19. Funding can be used for activity that creates jobs, new products and services or increases productivity. Such as buying new equipment, creating new services and adopting new processes.

Businesses based in will be able to apply for the grants between 22 March and 4 April but can pre-register now.

WECA will provide 80% of the funding and businesses will be asked to commit 20%.
You can find out more and pre-register on the West of England Growth Hub website.

Engine Shed prepares to re-open its doors

Following the Government’s roadmap to lockdown easing announcement, Engine Shed is reopening its Members’ Lounge to members and the public for single occupancy table bookings from Monday 29 March. From 12 April, meeting rooms will re-open at restricted capacity to adhere with social distancing guidelines.

Bookings for both the Lounge and meeting rooms can be made via the Engine Shed website, with 25% introductory rates for meeting rooms.

Visit our website