Who is eligible for Rural Shopfront Scheme (Lisburn and Castlereagh)?

Available in: Northern Ireland. Applicant must be a registered business. Most relevant to: Retail, Hospitality & Tourism.

What is the deadline for Rural Shopfront Scheme (Lisburn and Castlereagh)?

This is a rolling scheme with no fixed deadline.

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GrantNorthern Ireland Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council

Rural Shopfront Scheme (Lisburn and Castlereagh)

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council

Details being confirmed

Some figures on this page (such as the amount, deadline, or rate) are provisional and due a fresh verification pass against the official source. Please confirm the current details using the official link below before relying on this information.

Description

Capital grants to refresh signage and shopfronts for businesses in small rural settlements across Lisburn and Castlereagh (including Aghalee, Annahilt, Dromara, Drumbeg, Glenavy, Upper and Lower Ballinderry, Maghaberry, Milltown, and Moneyreagh), improving the appearance of local high streets.

Amount

Up to £12,500 (ex VAT), covering up to 80% of eligible costs

Deadline

Rolling / no fixed deadline

Eligibility summary

Available in: Northern Ireland.
Applicant must be a registered business.
Most relevant to: Retail, Hospitality & Tourism.

Notes: Grant covers up to 80% of eligible costs (maximum £12,500 ex VAT); applicant must contribute a minimum 20% of overall costs. A related Heritage Shopfront Scheme covers businesses in the Moira and Royal Hillsborough conservation areas specifically, and is not modelled as a separate entry here. Apply via an expression-of-interest form in the first instance; successful expressions are invited to submit a full application. RE-ATTEMPTED (23 Aug 2026): the officialUrl is reachable (both WebFetch and browser) and confirms the same terms recorded here (eligible settlements, 80%/£12,500 cap, 20% match), but the page's stated expression-of-interest deadline is still 'no later [than] 5pm on Friday 22nd March 2024' — over two years stale, with no evidence of a 2025 or 2026 reopening found this pass either on the council site or via a fresh WebSearch. The council does have other rural business grants currently live (e.g. a 'Rural Business Grants of up to £7,500' scheme and a separate 'Rural Business Development Grant Scheme'), showing the council's rural-support work continues generally, but neither is this shopfront-specific scheme. Flagged for closer review rather than treated as a live rolling scheme.
Requirement: Businesses situated in one of the council's designated small rural settlements (Aghalee, Annahilt, Dromara, Drumbeg, Glenavy, Upper/Lower Ballinderry, Maghaberry, Milltown, Moneyreagh).

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How to apply

Complete an expression-of-interest form via the council website; successful applicants are invited to submit a full application.

View official source

Last verified: 23 August 2026. See the footer disclaimer — this is general information, not financial or tax advice.