An estate agency in Lancashire is one of the last within the industry to given funds via the government’s Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG), which is due to end later this year.

Jonathan Pritchard Estate Agents has been given £10,000 by Fylde Council, which covers several towns between Blackpool and Preston, to move into a vacant retail unit on Station Road, Lytham St Anne’s.

The council, like many around the UK, has been using the ARG grant cash given to it by central government to kick-start a revival of its high streets following Covid.

Jonathan Pritchard, who founded his estate agency business in January this year, was eligible for the scheme which pays businesses up to £10,000 to move into empty premises.

Pritchard says that, emboldened by the booming property market and with exciting plans for the future, he signed a lease for the new premise last month and is now preparing his new branch for its grand opening.

Estate agency

“The ARG Vacant Premises Grant has really helped us speed up the process of getting the business to where we want it to be,” he says.

“We are using most of our savings to cover the cost of the refurbishment of the premises, which needed a new ceiling, flooring and windows, so the additional funds have meant we can free up vital resources.

“The market is unbelievable at the moment; properties are selling very quickly and we believe that the lockdowns have really prompted people to re-evaluate their lives.”

Lytham councillor, Michael Sayward (pictured), said: “It is wonderful to see another great business taking advantage of the grant, which is just one of the ways the council is supporting the recovery of the local economy.”

Find out more about the ARG.

Read more about Covid grants.