Photo: Gatwick Airport Media

Nearly 5,000 workers employed by 11 different companies at Gatwick Airport have agreed a pay rise. 

Around 400 Wilson James passenger assistance workers were scheduled to strike but voted in favour of a pay offer worth 10.5%.  ICTS baggage screening workers who had also voted for strike action, have accepted an 11% deal.  

Unite Union says the average pay rise for all workers is 8.3%.

Small and independent retailers in Crawley can apply for a Shop Front and High Street grant of up to £5,000 to spruce up their shop front and help entice more customers.

As part of the Shop Front and High Street Improvement Grant Scheme, eligible businesses in Crawley town centre and the neighbourhood parades can bid for grants of up to £5,000 to maintain and improve the external appearance of shop fronts or enhance frontline business operations. Applications can be made for shop front enhancements, minor building works, display equipment, lighting and decoration or payment system improvements. Up to four adjoining businesses can make a joint bid for a maximum of £20,000.

We have had very little interest in shop front grant applications since the scheme has been reopened so would strongly encourage eligible businesses to apply. The scheme is aimed at supporting the growth of local small and independent businesses in our town and is a fantastic way to improve the attractiveness of stores internally and externally, encouraging more customers through the doors.

Councillor Atif Nawaz. Cabinet member for Planning and Economic Development. Crawley Borough Council

To be eligible to apply for a grant, businesses must:

• be registered with HMRC and Companies House
• pass due diligence checks undertaken by council officers
• have a physical shop premises in Crawley
• be a small independent business with a maximum of 50 employees
• not be part of a regional, national or international chain or franchise
• have security of tenure for the premises and provide evidence to prove this
• not propose inappropriate physical shop front improvements if the premises is located in designated conservation areas

Applications that demonstrate they will result in the delivery of environmental benefits, for example a reduction in carbon emissions, will be afforded extra weighting during the evaluation process.

A due diligence and evaluation process will be undertaken on all applications. Grants offered are subject to meeting eligibility criteria, fulfilling the aims of the scheme and a subsidy control declaration.

To apply for a Shop Front and High Street grant, retailers will need to complete the application form on our Shop Front and High Street Improvement Grant Scheme page.

Businesses can contact the Economic Development team for further information or guidance with applications by emailing economic.development@crawley.gov.uk.

A man had to be taken to hospital with serious injuries following a knife attack in Crawley.

Officers were called to St James Walk at Broadfield Barton around 8.15pm on Sunday, after reports of the individual being attacked by a group people.

The 38-year-old victim was taken to hospital following his injuries which were described as serious but not life changing. He was later discharged, and police have stepped up their presence in the area.

No arrests have been made.

Reigate & Banstead has become a ‘Refill Destination’ and is pledging to help turn the tide on plastic pollution.

The new accreditation comes from the not-for-profit, City to Sea and means Reigate & Banstead Borough Council will be working with local businesses including cafes, restaurants, pubs, shops and zero waste stores offering food, drink and shopping opportunities which reduce the use of plastic.

Cllr Nadean Moses, Executive Member for Sustainability and Leisure said: “We’re excited to become one of the growing number of Refill Destinations committed to tackling plastic pollution at source. We will be focusing our efforts on signing up local businesses, as well as our own venues, to the refill network to make it easier for people to refill their reusable bottles and coffee cups locally.

“This plastic free July I urge everyone to download the Refill app, look out for the Refill logo at participating locations and help to spread the word so that more and more of us opt to reduce single-use plastics.

“Improving the refill network across Reigate & Banstead is just one of the actions coming out of our Environmental Sustainability Strategy, which commits us to making our own operations, and the borough, a more sustainable place to live.”

By downloading the free Refill app, local residents and visitors can easily tap into a network of places where they can refill. From topping up a water bottle, getting a coffee in a re-useable cup, or even shopping with less packaging, Refill makes going plastic free easier.

Alex Lockwood from the SME Energy Centre in Banstead, which is one of the latest local businesses to sign up, said: “We are thrilled to be a part of the refill scheme. The vast majority of plastic bottles end up in landfill, where it can take hundreds of years for them to break down. However, by being a part of the refill scheme, our local community can now refill their re-useable water bottles – not only saving money and staying hydrated, but also importantly protecting the environment.”

Natalie Fée, founder of City to Sea added,

“It’s fantastic to have Reigate & Banstead Borough Council coming on board as a “Refill Destination”. To tackle the plastic crisis, we need local government to be local leaders in driving the transition from single-use towards reuse – and Refill is a great community tool to support this. It’s heartening that councils understand the urgent need to stem the tide of plastic pollution plaguing towns and cities around the UK, and massively scale up reuse and refill.”

If local businesses are interested in taking part in this project they should contact the Council at sustainability@reigate-banstead.gov.uk.

City to Sea will work with Reigate & Banstead Borough Council until March 2025 to measure their impact and to transparently report on the growing refill and reuse in the area supporting the Council in engaging businesses and resident alike. This project has received £5,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.