Towns and high streets vying for £20k grants from Visa initiative

The ‘Let’s Celebrate Towns’ initiative is back, with towns across the UK being encouraged to put themselves forward to stand a chance of winning a £20,000 grant.

The programme is put together by Visa in partnership with Nationwide, and the money for the winning town will go towards initiatives to give small businesses a boost.

There are five categories: High Street Revival, Backing Local Business, Protecting Valued Places, Connected Places and Community Pride. Winning towns will be decided by an independent panel, with winners announced on 14 December in Parliament.

The window for voting is between 17 August (Monday just gone) and 25 October, with local MPs, councillors, and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) being asked to share their towns’ respective stories.

Retailers sit at the heart of every town and high street, providing jobs, investment and a sense of community,” said Helen Dickinson OBE, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium. “Having partnered with Visa on Let’s Celebrate Towns since its earliest years, we have seen first-hand the difference it makes when local success stories get the recognition they deserve. 

“We are delighted to see the competition return for 2026 alongside an exciting new partnership with Nationwide, and would encourage towns across the country to put themselves forward.”