Free rent offer for new Walsall businesses

Free rent and business rate relief for up to a year will be offered to firms setting up in Walsall town centre under a £100,000 scheme to tackle empty buildings.

The number of shops and businesses standing empty has fallen from 94 to 88 in the last six months. It is hoped the scheme will see the number continue to fall.

Funding awarded to Walsall Council from the Government's £10 million High Street innovation fund has been earmarked for the plans.

Start-up firms and small businesses looking to move to the centre could also be offered other benefits, such as free printing costs for advertising materials and guidance from solicitors.

Further plans include the council taking over a unit which can be used by charities or to give students hands-on experience.

The scheme is awaiting final approval from the council's legal team and regeneration chief Adrian Andrew.

Walsall Council's regeneration officer Jon Burnett said: "We hope this will bring in at least six new businesses to the town centre, if not more, in the next year. Some money would pay business rates for no more than 12 months, depending on the size of the unit.

"We will also negotiate with landlords to get businesses six to 12 months rent free."

Landlords with empty units who are interested in taking part in the scheme are being asked to come forward. Earlier this year, it emerged that more than one in four shops were unoccupied in the town centre, making it the seventh worst in the country.

By Lisa O'Brien