Package of support launched as Norfolk County Council backs rural high street businesses

A hundred businesses in eight pilot towns will take part in a Retail Excellence programme as part of High Streets Matter, a Norfolk County Council initiative to develop skills and accelerate footfall. 

Community groups and individuals will also be able to apply for funding for projects designed to raise awareness of their market town and instil pride in the area through the campaign. 

Market towns and other business districts are pivotal to the rural landscape and the county's economic prosperity and the programme has been introduced to equip businesses for success and help these areas to flourish. 

Last year, the FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) report, The Future of the High Street, called for more support for small firms and unveiled a plan to help transform high streets into places that meet future needs and support the next generation of entrepreneurs. 

Norfolk County Council has already piloted support measures including the Love Your Market Town programme in Breckland and West Norfolk, and a Market Towns Conference. This year it has ambitions to go further with a more targeted offer. 

Alexandra Hemen, a High Growth Business Advisor with New Anglia Growth Hub and former Head of Retail at Adnams, is using her expertise to deliver a Retail Excellence programme for 100 businesses in eight pilot towns. The programme launches this summer in Dereham, Diss, Fakenham and North Walsham and this winter in Attleborough, Aylsham, Gorleston-on-Sea and Hunstanton. 

A dozen companies will be invited to join a follow-up High Growth programme to accelerate success and build a pipeline for retail awards. 

Love Your Market Town has already backed projects to promote high streets such as Dereham where businesses have been encouraged to let shoppers use their toilets through the Spend a Penny scheme. Now community groups and individuals can create projects to raise awareness of their high street and attract more visitors through a Pride of Place scheme. 

Other support available includes an online retail toolkit, Go Digital - a free programme showing SMEs how to better use online tools to identify opportunities to grow - and a Market Towns Conference at Fakenham Racecourse in October. 

The new package of support was officially launched at Swaffham Assembly Rooms on Thursday 8 May in partnership with New Anglia Growth Hub and the FSB. 

Cllr Fabian Eagle, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth says: "Norfolk is blessed with some fantastic market towns and this package of support is the next step in our campaign to ensure businesses can access the expertise they need to grow. 

"They will have the chance to sign up for the Retail Excellence programme and apply for Love Your Market Town funding for projects that will celebrate Price of Place and promote our high streets. 

"This is an opportunity not only to support our businesses but build closer relationships in our market towns and develop a keener sense of community."   

To find out more about High Streets Matter, email nhsm@norfolk.gov.uk or visit the High Streets Matter webpages. 

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Published: 8 May 2025