If you're deep in the paperwork of opening a venue, "£10 million grant" is the kind of headline that makes you look up. So let's cut through it: here's what's actually been announced, and whether it's something you can use.
What's been announced
In early September the government launched a £10 million, three-year Hospitality Grant Scheme, run through the Department for Business, Innovation, Science & Trade. It follows an earlier pilot, and it's pitched at independent pubs, restaurants and cafés rather than the big chains.
What the money is actually for
The scheme says it will back three things:
- New hospitality ventures
- Bringing vacant premises back into use
- Skills and training programmes
Of the £10m, £3m is already earmarked for Pub is The Hub, the non-profit that helps rural and community pubs diversify: village shops, community cafés, play areas and the like. So a big slice is spoken for before anyone else applies.
Does it reach someone opening a venue?
Maybe, but don't build your plans around it yet. Two of the stated aims, "new hospitality ventures" and "vacant premises back into use," point squarely at what you're doing, and that's genuinely encouraging: it says the people holding the purse strings want more venues to open, not fewer. But the detail that actually matters, exactly who can apply, for how much, and how, isn't public in a fill-in-a-form way yet, and a chunk is already committed. Treat this as a door that may be opening, not money you can bank.
Getting grant-ready: what's worth having anyway
Here's the good news. Almost everything that makes you a strong grant candidate is the same stuff that gets you licensed and open, so none of this prep is wasted even if this particular scheme turns out not to fit. A few things worth having ready if you decide to go for it:
- A costed plan. What you'd spend the money on and what it returns: startup costs, projections, the numbers that show a real venture rather than a punt.
- A solid operating schedule. Nothing says "credible, compliant business" faster than a licence application that's already watertight.
- Fire safety sorted. A proper risk assessment from a competent person, referenced and ready.
- The premises nailed down. This scheme specifically wants vacant premises brought back to life, so if that's your building, lead with it.
- Your community angle. A big slice of the fund favours venues that add something to their area. If yours does, say so.
One honest caveat: the how-to-apply detail isn't fully public yet, and part of the fund is already committed. Keep half an eye on official announcements, and we'll update this page when there's a real application route. In the meantime, the prep above is worth doing regardless.
This is the whole point of Lights On. Grants come and go, and most land after you're already trading. The licence is the hard gate in front of every venue, and it's the bit you can start on today. If that's where you are, the premises licence guide and the operating schedule template are the place to begin.
Source: £10m Hospitality Grant Scheme launches, Hospitality & Catering News (3 September 2026).