The COVID crisis has demonstrated how important it is for our businesses to be able to adapt and diversify to survive and grow. It has encouraged many businesses to think about how they might diversify in the future, both to react to difficult times, but also to capitalise on new opportunities.

Recognising the role that our high streets and local centres have in ensuring that our county flourishes and prospers, Herefordshire Council has introduced the Revive and Thrive Fund.
The Revive and Thrive Fund reflects the new pressures facing businesses following COVID and some of the lessons learned around how businesses can adapt and thrive, even in the face of great challenges. It also reflects new opportunities for businesses wanting to take their first steps into occupying commercial and retail premises without taking on large risks.
Supporting the county high streets and city centre is another outcome of the scheme. Supporting new, and diverse, businesses to take space within town centres will encourage greater footfall and diversification of the retail offer.
The Revive and Thrive Fund has three different strands. Applicants may only make one application and this must be to a single strand of the fund. The scheme will be administered by the Delegated Grants Team, who will assess applications against the scheme criteria. Those that meet the criteria will be considered by a panel of Herefordshire Council Councillors. The panel decision is final.

This project will reduce the number of vacant shops and increase the uptake of commercial premises within the county, in some cases bringing commercial premises back into economic use (where currently redundant).

The project will further support economic recovery following the pandemic, increase business birth rates and aid economic resilience by supporting businesses to diversify as well as create jobs.