Two retail units in south Liverpool are on offer for just £1 a month – but no bookies, fast food outlets, tanning salons, off-licences, pubs, or payday lenders are allowed. Tony McDonough reports

Two retail units are available in south Liverpool with rents of just £1 a month as part of a city council scheme to support small businesses.

Unique to the Picton area of the city, the Shops for a Pound scheme sees rent sent at £1 month for the first three years. Years four and five there is a reduced rent of £400 per calendar month. After that the units will be charged at full market rate.

Six derelict shop units in Smithdown Road have been refurbished by a developer. Four have been allocated to new businesses and there are now two available units under the scheme.

However, certain types of businesses are disqualified from the scheme. They include betting shops or gambling establishments, a general fast food takeaway, a tanning salon, off-licence, pub, or a payday lender. However, community cafés and healthy takeaways will be considered.

Liverpool City Council said: “We are seeking expressions of interest from people who would like to run a business in one of these units. They must have a full business plan and the finance in place to start up a business.”

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There are also other restrictions. The business must not directly duplicate or compete with an existing business in the neighbourhood. It also must not receive a grant or contributions from any public sector source of more than £315,000 over the three-year period

Applicants will also need to prepare a business plan to upload with their application. A good business plan should include:

• A clear description of your business proposal.
• CVs of business directors and key employees – where these are known.
• A realistic and evidenced market analysis of your business proposal.
• An analysis of the relevant risks and challenges facing the business and a mitigation strategy to minimise these.
• A breakdown of expected staffing, the type and level of jobs and the likely start period for those jobs.
• Detailed financial projection for both income and expenditure.

The council added: “We would also like you to consider how your proposals will contribute to the six priority areas of our City Plan. These priority areas are health, education, neighbourhoods, economy, culture and climates.”

Click here for more information or you can email propertymanagementgeneral@liverpool.gov.uk.