Shutters up, fund to relaunch Udine and stimulate new openings

WATCH THE VIDEO SERVICE . The Municipality of Udine launches an ambitious economic development plan by allocating 1.5 million euros, an unprecedented amount, for approval in the next budget adjustment.

This is an absolutely unprecedented initiative, which has been given the name of “ Economic Relaunch Fund ”, promoted by the municipal administration in close synergy with the Udine commercial district. Thanks to a long-term project, composed of various strategic steps, a dedicated financing line has been created with a dual objective : to strengthen the vitality of the historic center and neighborhoods, facilitating the opening of new economic activities and promoting the development of commerce and local services, essential for citizens.

As mentioned, this is only the last step, the most tangible, of a path that has seen the municipal administration sit down at the table first with the economic categories and stakeholders of the territory for a series of intermediate steps that have been preparatory to the initiative. First of all with the SUCCO summit , which will renew its appointment this year, to outline the state of the art of Udine commerce and the needs, limits and opportunities of the world of economic activities. Following this, with the trade associations, the Udine-Pordenone Chamber of Commerce and the University of Udine, the protocol was signed to analyze the Udine territory with a scientific method and take a constant and dynamic photograph of openings and closures. Finally, thanks to Udine Retail , scheduled for June 16, the new initiative promoted by Palazzo D'Aronco, with the real estate world, brands and entrepreneurs, the aim is to encourage a meeting between vacant spaces and demand from investors.

Now the administration, by making available a significant financial endowment, intends to support new openings and stimulate entrepreneurship in the city .

Support for new openings

Of the total funds, 900 thousand euros will be allocated to the city's neighborhoods to incentivize commercial and artisanal businesses , such as the opening of grocery stores, personal services, stationery shops, small specialized shops. The aim is to decisively improve the quality of life in the city's many neighborhoods, promoting social cohesion and widespread economic development. The neighborhoods involved will be those of Godia - Beivars, Aurora, Laipacco, San Domenico and Villaggio del Sole, San Rocco and Sant'Osvaldo .

As a second strand of investment, the historic center will receive 500 thousand euros , divided into two lines of intervention: 400 thousand euros, the largest slice of the funds, intended to promote new openings, in particular in premises that have been vacant for at least 12 months , also ensuring entrepreneurial continuity in closing businesses , with particular attention to generational turnover.

100 thousand euros will then be dedicated to supporting services for families and children . The administration therefore intends to insert itself in support of youth entrepreneurship and in the generational changeover processes of long-standing businesses, offering concrete support for start-up costs, in addition to new street furniture , in continuity with the projects for the enhancement of the squares, including Piazza Duomo, Piazza Venerio, Piazza XX Settembre and Piazza Garibaldi.

How the tender will work

Anyone who decides to open a business in the center or in the neighborhoods will be able to benefit from a non-repayable contribution equal to 25% of the expenses approved during the application phase, for example for the purchase of furniture, machinery or IT systems. The expected average contribution is about 50,000 euros for each new business proposal , with an estimated leverage effect of over 6 million in private investments .

The municipal call for applications to access the grants is currently being finalized and will be published by the summer.

Deputy Mayor Alessandro Venanzi underlines the importance of the decision: “For the first time in the history of Udine, the municipal administration is investing one and a half million euros to directly support the development of city commerce . An operation that arises from the awareness of how fundamental it is to strengthen the local entrepreneurial fabric, made up of traders, artisans and small entrepreneurs who keep the city alive every day, in the neighborhoods as well as in the historic center.

It is, first of all, thanks to them that Udine today is among the top five Italian cities for the stability of the commercial system, in contrast to the national picture. With the Economic Relaunch Fund we want to support them and open up new opportunities: supporting those who have already believed in Udine, those who want to start a business, those who want to give continuity to a family business .

This intervention is not just economic support: it is a strong signal of trust from our Administration towards those who do business, building social cohesion through their work. We want Udine to continue to be a lively and attractive city, where opening a business is not a leap in the dark, but a concrete and sustained choice.”

"It is very pleasing that the Municipality, in the budget adjustment, has identified the availability of funds to facilitate new openings , to facilitate generational change in our sector and at the same time to strengthen the commercial presence in the suburbs", underlines the district president of Confcommercio Udine Rodolfo Totolo. " We believe that the contents of the call for tenders in progress - he adds - can be included in the virtuous path of urban redevelopment and regeneration that we are convinced can really determine the leap in quality of the city . As Confcommercio we are available to define the best criteria and procedures to make the support for companies concrete".

"We are satisfied with this important initiative promoted by the Municipality of Udine - declared Eva Seminara of Confartigianato Udine - which demonstrates a concrete attention towards the local entrepreneurial fabric. A targeted support for hybrid craftsmanship, personal services and small businesses in neighborhoods, perhaps in shared spaces , represents an important step to strengthen the widespread presence of businesses in the territory".

“The call responds to specific needs and above all adapts to the changes in our society: the population has changed, we have many elderly residents , so we respond to needs thanks to a support process between the various stakeholders, with the aim of maximising the results of the interventions” commented the municipal councillor and president of the Budget and Programming Commission Paolo Ermano .

“It is a commitment that summarizes a medium and long-term support and strategy work,” explains the manager of the Commercial District Guido Caufin . “This is also demonstrated by the content of the allocation, partly dedicated to the historic center where the administration will support the economic account of the activities, and in a larger part to the neighborhoods, where the Municipality intends to support the start-up costs. Two different approaches that respond to the needs of the economic fabric.”