A £10,000 fund has been launched to help shops and houses in Central St Leonards get a mural-makeover. 

The money is part of the Home Office’s £450,000 Safer Streets project, which aims to make the area look safer as well as being safer. 

Alongside grants for property security upgrades, anyone with a bare wall or shop shutter who would like to see it added to the already impressive catalogue of street art in the town can apply for funding. 

Awards will be made of amounts between £400 and £1,500 depending on the scale of the project. 

Mural artists are also being invited to put their names forward to be considered for commissions and their details will be published on the project website so that property owners can look for someone with a style that suits what they would like to see done. 

John Bownas, manager of Hastings Business Crime Reduction Partnership, said: “This will be a really great way to bring more vibrant splashes of colour to the town and help draw in more customers to local shops. By making the town look more cared for it will improve the sense of safety for everyone who lives, works and shops there.” 

Councillor Paul Barnett, lead councillor at Hastings Borough Council for Urban Environment and Community Safety, added: “The Safer St Leonards Project partners are working hard to make a real difference to the levels of crime in the Central St Leonards area. This includes lots of new improvement projects, helping to create somewhere residents feel safer spending time, working and living. This project will involve the team working closely with our Planning department and local artists to create new artwork that enhances the character of the area.” 

Applications will be assessed by the project team, and checks will be made with Hastings Borough Council to ensure there are no planning concerns. 

To register interest as a property owner or an artist visit: 

www.safer-stleonards.org/mural-grants/