Business owners wanting to give their shop fronts a fresh lick of paint are being encouraged to apply for a council grant to help them do so before its too late.

In the last 18-months, Great Yarmouth Borough Council has handed out more than £52,000 in grants to help improve shop fronts in the town.

Now, with just £16,000 left in the funding pot, eligible businesses and social enterprises are encouraged to get in touch soon, or risk missing a grant.

Under the Town Centre Shopfront Improvement Scheme, applicants who are eligible can ask for grants of up to £3,000 each to help fund shopfront renovation, decoration, new signage and/or replacement of historic features including lighting.

Businesses must cover 25pc of the total cost themselves.

The scheme supports the council's wider Town Centre Masterplan, which aims to enhance the historic town centre for the 21st century as a destination where more people choose to live, work and spend their time and money.

One successful applicant is The Bag Shop, in Regent Road, which was granted £1,840 to help replace shopfront signage and fit large entrance doors, as part of a wider investment that has seen them completely refurbish their base.

Alan Pitt, co-owner of The Bag shop said: 'Things are going really well. Without the grant, we would have probably just had plain doors and we wouldn't have been able to afford to have the branding.

'That makes a big difference, especially when people are walking down the street. I would highly recommend the grant scheme. It's a simple process, the council staff have been very helpful, and it has enabled us to do things we wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise.'

Barry Coleman, councillor and chairman of the economic development committee, said: 'We have seen some really great applications from a range of businesses, and the grants have made a genuine difference through incentivising private sector investment and supporting our wider work to boost the town centre and economy for everyone's benefit'

Application forms, guidance and a map showing the area covered by the scheme are available by visiting here or emailing econdev@great-yarmouth.gov.uk.