Around 900 riot-hit Birmingham businesses received £1.2 million in council aid to recover trade from last August’s disturbances.
The money from Birmingham City Council, which included a recovery fund, security improvement scheme, business rates hardship fund and business advisor support, came under the umbrella of the Government’s high street support scheme (HSSS).
Businesses across the West Midlands suffered damage in an outbreak of widespread disorder over two days last summer.
The total cost of the rioting could surpass £25 million for the region’s police and businesses.
More than 340 claims – totalling £5.4 million – have been made to West Midlands Police Authority under the Riot (Damages) Act 1886 over vandalism and theft as yobs smashed up shops and stole valuables during unprecedented scenes of looting.
Coun Timothy Huxtable, cabinet member for transport, environment and regeneration, said: “We listened closely to the concerns of businesses in the wake of the disorder and decided to add the security improvement scheme and business advisor programme to what was already being offered.
“This was aimed at giving further help to those businesses whose trade had been badly affected even though they had not been directly attacked.”
The council’s Backing Birmingham marketing campaign which aimed to restore public confidence in the city centre and local high streets following the riots, cost £447,150.
More than 600 businesses across the city signed up to the scheme, which included a loyalty card for shoppers.
Some 219 small and medium enterprises directly affected by the disorder received £448,976 in grants through the security improvement scheme, which provided up to 75 per cent of costs up to £5,000 to fund security measures.
More than 300 businesses received business advisor support worth £104,447 – which included help with business plans, marketing strategies and access to finance.
Four Business Improvement Districts (BID) and commercial quarters received grants worth £101,083. Sixty-eight businesses damaged during the riots received £95,310 from the business rates hardship fund.
Some 23 SMEs received £89,849 in grants from the recovery fund, to recover costs not covered by insurance.
A Government U-turn means the Home Office has only agreed to cover uninsured losses estimated at £253,861, leaving the Authority to find the remaining cash.
A report to the Authority revealed it was forced to spend £50,000 to bring in external loss adjusters to “advise on certain higher value and/or complex claims”.
The council said it will claim back the £1.2 million of the HSSS from central government.
More than 40 companies in the Southside area of Birmingham city centre, which includes Chinatown and the gay quarter, received funding to repair their premises following last August’s riots.
Businesses in Southside submitted four times as many applications as any other area in the city.
Julia Chance, from Southside BID, said: “I’m pleased to see Southside businesses making the most of the money available to rebuild their businesses and make them stronger and safer for the future.”
