Shopfront Improvement Scheme

Westminster City Council is offering business owners the opportunity to rejuvenate their signage and shopfronts. The Council is providing free architectural, visual merchandising and construction services.

Improvement works and services offered include: repairs, repainting existing shopfronts and new signage.

Beginning this November, the Shopfront Improvement Scheme provides business owners with free services and physical works to enhance their external shopfronts. The goal is to attract more customers, improve the customer experience, and create a more welcoming and vibrant high street environment.

This is part of a wider Paddington - Bayswater High Street investment programme by the Council to improve the experience of the high street and stimulate economic growth and attract people and businesses to the area.

We have appointed architects Untitled Practice to work alongside Westminster City Council's Place Shaping and Business & Enterprise teams. Untitled Practice are supported by graphic designers Studio April, Polimekanos and Naïma Ben Ayed .

Phase 1

We will be completing businesses in phase 1 in November 2026.

Phase 1 businesses before improvements

What works are we offering?

Included works:

• Re-painting of existing shopfront
• New signage
• New heritage shopfront
• Façade repairs (e.g. brickwork, rendering and repointing)
• Repair and restoration of traditional shopfront features
• Heritage awnings
• Accessibility improvements
• Security improvements

Non-included works:

Works which do NOT comply with Westminster City Council Planning design guidance document ‘Shopfront, Blinds and Signs - A Guide to their Design’. 

How can I apply?

Thank you for your interest. The application process for phase 1 is now closed. Opportunities for future phases will be updated via this page.

MORE INFORMATION

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility requirements:

• Be trading in the Paddington - Bayswater area with a high street facing frontage within the ‘priority’ or ‘secondary’ eligibility area (see map)
• Requirement to liaise and enter a legal agreement with the Council
• Have fewer than 50 employees and a turnover of less than €50 (£43.5m) million or a balance sheet total of less than €43 million (£37.4m)
• Not be in financial difficulty

Who is not eligible?:

• International or national chain stores
• Primary offer - betting shops, pawn brokers and vape shops
• Any applicant, property owner, business or its activities that would bring the Council into disrepute or negatively impact on the Council’s reputation in any way
• Businesses or property owners who have outstanding debts payable to the Council