Since the Pride in Our High Street programme was launched in 2019, we’ve helped businesses across the borough to flourish and have a positive impact on their local high street.
From hair salons, supermarkets and music academies, to gift shops, fast food takeaways and clothes outlets – we’re proud of all our local high street businesses who have gone from strength-to-strength during a challenging period for high streets across the UK.
We’ve supported businesses across all six borough towns – Madeley, Dawley, Oakengates, Newport, Wellington and Ironbridge – and it’s pleasing to see how so many have grown over the last five years.
Across Telford and Wrekin our Pride in Our High Street investment underlines our commitment to helping businesses wherever we can.
Over the last three years we’ve handed out 364 Pride in Our High Street grants
These include 62 business start-up grants (totalling £607,000) which have helped businesses to launch on the high street and 54 start-up trial grants (totalling £121,000) which have helped businesses to test out the waters as pop-up stalls on markets or in empty retail units.
We’ve also handed out 79 eco grants to help businesses become more sustainable and reduce costs, 43 façade grants to improve shop frontages and make our high streets more attractive and 19 digital grants which help to equip businesses to trade effectively in the digital arena.
That’s not forgetting 78 diversification grants initially helping through Covid and now supporting through the cost of living crisis and the impact on businesses needing to diversify to sustain the business and 29 exceptional grants.
Figures for 2024 show that out of 727 retail units across the borough towns, just 26 stand empty (as of April 2024).
Across all our borough towns the percentage of empty units is well below the UK national average of 14% (source: Local Data Company).
| Borough Town | Number of Retail Units | Number of Empty Units | % of Empty |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Dawley |
56 |
4 |
7.1% |
|
Ironbridge |
66 |
4 |
6% |
|
Madeley |
76 |
1 |
1.3% |
|
Newport |
190 |
5 |
2.6% |
|
Oakengates |
123 |
4 |
3.2% |
|
Wellington |
216 |
8 |
3.7% |
Here, we highlight some of the business successes in each of our borough towns and how businesses have benefited from the Pride in Our High Street funding and grants we offer.
In Dawley we’ve handed out a total 31 grants since the Pride in Our High Street programme was launched to help businesses open on the high street, improve their shop frontages and help them to reduce costs by becoming more environmentally sustainable.
In 2022, we’ve also helped to land a new permanent home for Dawley Post Office on Burton Street and have also secured a deal to bring Tesco Express to Dawley High Street in the unit vacated by the Co-op in summer 2022.
In Dawley out of 56 units, just 4 (7.1%) are currently empty which is well below the UK national average for empty high street units which is 14% (source: Local Data Company).
Amanda’s Ow Bist’Ro
Amanda’s Ow Bistro has been able to grow on Dawley High Street thanks to Pride in Our High Street funding.
Owner Amanda Stanley first opened the new shop and bistro in 2021 after receiving a business start-up grant.
At the time there were no other sit down cafes or food establishments in Dawley, only takeaways and fast food outlets, so there was a gap in the market place for this business and an opportunity to bring something new to Dawley.
Amanda already had an excellent reputation for high quality cakes in the town but having a permanent base has enabled her to take her skills to a new level as by offering sit-down teas, coffees, freshly cooked hot food, snacks and afternoon teas.
And as the business continued to grow as Amanda developed a loyal customer base, as well as attracting more and more visitors, she moved to an even bigger premises on the high street in 2023 which now has much more seating space and an outside area at the rear of the unit.
Items on the menu at Amanda’s Ow Bist’Ro include baked potatoes, cakes, paninis, toasties, filled rolls, pastries, full English breakfasts, homemade cakes, hot and cold drinks and smoothies.
Jenny Spoon’s Hair Salon – diversification grant
Jenny Spoon’s Hair Salon received a diversification grant which has helped owner Jenny to boost her revenue and overall profit after the pandemic.
The salon was forced to close during the pandemic but the grant enabled her to add an additional two salon spaces to her Dawley High Street unit meaning she could cater for more clients once the business opened its doors again.
The salon offers a variety of hair services and also offers hair styling for weddings and other events.
Laura Deighton Dance (Business start-up grant, diversification grant and façade grant)
Laura Deighton Dance received a business start-up grant to help it relocate from Halesfield to Dawley High Street in 2019.
Moving to a high street location has helped the business to expand and develop and is helping budding dancers of all ages and abilities realise their dancing dreams, including guiding them through graded examinations.
With a focus on developing technique and confidence in all dance disciplines, the school has a reputation for bringing out the very best in its students.
The move to 59-61 High Street in Dawley also meant that Laura Deighton Dance could continue to offer a full timetable of classes, including ballet, tap, modern, jazz, musical theatre, acrobatics and contemporary dance as well as hire out studio space and offer a retail outlet for selling dancewear.
In addition, Laura Deighton has also benefited from a diversification and façade grant.
The façade grant helped to fund painting of the unit in Autumn 2022 making it look far more appealing to customers.
The diversification grant helped the business significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic when the dance school couldn’t offer physical lessons.
As an alternative income stream, the owners redeveloped their business model and added a range of leisure wear and stage cosmetics which were sold from the unit during the pandemic.
Small Talk Nurseries – Business start-up grant
Dawley has a private childcare provider on the high street with capacity for 50 children thanks to a Pride in Our High Street business start-up grant.
Small Talk Nurseries has provided a welcome boost for families in the town after moving to the 10-12 High Street premises, which was previously Abacus Nursery, in March 2022.
This venture is part of wider business plans to open a further 20 nurseries in the region over the next five years under the Small Talk Nurseries franchise.
The private day nursery offers free-funded places for two, three and four year- olds from 15 and 30 hours a week.
Up to 18 staff are on site at the nursery which is open 51 weeks a year from 7.30am to 6pm.
It also accommodates 0-15 year olds and provide a range of other activities including breakfast clubs, after school clubs and holiday clubs for working parents.
The start-up grant helped the nursery with start-up costs to get the unit ready for opening and provide a facility which staff and children can be proud of and flourish as they play and learn.
In Ironbridge we’ve handed out a total of 45 grants since the Pride in Our High Street programme was launched to help businesses open on the high street, improve their shop frontages and help them to reduce costs by becoming more environmentally sustainable.
As a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Ironbridge Gorge attracts visitors from far and wide all year round.
These grants have brought unique shops to Ironbridge which are attracting many new customers and raising the overall shopping appeal in Ironbridge.
In Ironbridge out of 66 units, just 4 (6%) is currently empty which shows how popular Ironbridge is a base to do business from. The figure is well below the UK national average for empty high street units which is 14% (source: Local Data Company).
Tails From The Gorge – business start-up grant
Veterinary nurse Lisa Madeley has launched Tails From The Gorge in Ironbridge thanks to a business start-up grant.
Lisa decided to start up the pet shop with a difference after seeing the number of dog walkers in the Ironbridge Gorge area increase significantly in recent years.
She has always wanted to start her own business with animals and when she saw the unit at 11, Tontine Hill was empty she decided to apply for the grant.
As well as selling pet merchandise, products, foods and treats from her new base, including homemade treats containing zero additives, Lisa will also be calling on her 18 years of veterinary expertise to help customers do the best thing for their pets.
She plans to launch a pet advisory service from the unit and offer training workshops which will support and provide valuable information to pet owners.
Lisa is also hoping to promote Ironbridge and support other high street shops by selling a range of Ironbridge merchandise which will appeal to tourists visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site.
Pet owners can discuss various products and what’s best suited for their furry companions.
Lisa can also offer seasonal advice such as caring for pets during the firework period - offering advice on calming pets by using products such as thunder jackets and herbal calming remedies.
In the summer time, advice will also be available about keeping pets cool in the warm weather and preventing heat stroke and sun burn, supported by products such as cooling mats and special sun lotions.
Moonshine & Fuggles – digital grant, eco grant, diversification grant
Moonshine & Fuggles has benefited from a series of Pride in Our High Street grants.
The popular business, which specialises in wines, whiskies, craft ales and other spirits, was boosted by an eco grant to help it reduce plastics in its store and for all online sales.
Funding from the grant has helped the business make a permanent switch to eco cardboard boxes for online sales and paper bubble wrap to replace the traditional plastic wrap.
In store, the use of plastic bags has been scrapped and the business has made a complete change-over to brown paper bags and brown bottle bags.
In addition, the business also received a diversification grant to build a new website to improve online shopping during the Covid-19 pandemic and funding from the grant also helped the business to purchase more packaging for posting.
Nettie of the Gorge – business start-up grant, eco grant
Nestled in heart of Ironbridge, Nettie of the Gorge is an artisan florist which opened on the high street after receiving a business start-up grant.
The floral shop offers seasonal floral workshops, gift bouquets for weddings, funeral flowers, botanical gifts and also provides flowers for a range of other special events.
Floral creations which are made to order are always unique and diverse and the business always sources British and Shropshire grown flowers when in season.
The Pride in Our High Street funding helped to support start-up costs for Nettie of the Gorge and get the business ready for its opening.
Nettie of the Gorge has proved to be a popular addition to the high street attracting both local customers and tourists.
Since opening, Nettie of the Gorge has also received an eco grant which has helped the business to become more environmentally sustainable and reduce costs.
The grant has helped to buy eco friendly biodegradable packaging for flowers and also purchase eco flower food.
The Little Christmas Shop – business start-up grant
The Little Christmas Shop opened on The Wharfage, Ironbridge in October 2020 and has certainly brought something new to Ironbridge over the past two years
Launched with the help of a business start-up grant through the Pride in our High Street programme, the shop has become popular with local residents and tourists which visit in their numbers each year.
The shop features an all year round Christmas section and also sells hand crafted items and stock sourced from trusted suppliers which will celebrates Ironbridge’s local heritage.
This unique shop has given people a reason to share positive experiences and adds to the community spirit in Ironbridge.
The grant supported The Little Christmas Shop with start-up costs to get the unit ready for opening.
Everyone loves Christmas and The Little Christmas Shop offers something which hasn’t previously been on offer in Ironbridge and which is attracting visitors back to the high street.
The Toybox – business start-up grant
An independent toy store for children opened on a vacant unit in Ironbridge with the help of a business start-up grant through the Pride in Our High Street programme.
The Toybox, located on The Wharfage, opened in December 2020 and offers a gorgeous selection of wooden toys, imaginative play items and traditional games which appeal to both the young and old.
The products that the Toybox offer are unique, have a feel of nostalgia to them and are aiming to attract new and repeat business into Ironbridge.
As well as enabling owners Vonny and Adrian Simons to open up a new business that’s unique to Ironbridge, the grant has enabled them to invest in technology to future proof their high street business and drive online sales outside of operating hours.
The store is attracting new customers who visit Ironbridge throughout the year as well as existing customers.
In Madeley we’ve handed out a total 67 grants since the Pride in Our High Street programme was launched to help businesses open on the high street, improve their shop frontages, help them to reduce costs by becoming more environmentally sustainable and become more digitally savvy.
One of the success stories in the town is the growth of Madeley Market in Russell Square.
Before Pride in Our High Street launched there were just two stalls at Madeley Market but we’ve now awarded 8 start-up trial grants to businesses, with more in the pipeline.
These businesses now have a regular presence on Madeley market, which has not only helped the market grow, it is attracting new visitors into Madeley and encouraging more people to shop locally.
In Madeley out of 76 units, just 1 (1.3%) are currently empty which is well below the UK national average for empty high street units which is 14% (source: Local Data Company).
The Indian Melting Pot - Madeley Market
The Indian Melting Pot received a start-up trial grant through our Pride in Our High Street programme to launch at Madeley Market.
Business owner Idris Kaji serves Indian cuisine and a full range of Indian style snacks from his market base including handmade samosas, spring rolls, chicken pakoras, and special donner kebabs from his market stall in Russell Square.
The grant has helped Idris test the waters with his business venture on the high street at the Market on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Salon 72 – façade grant
Salon 72 used a façade grant to improve its overall appearance and make it more appealing to customers.
The frontage of the salon on Madeley High Street was in need of a complete repaint and new signage.
Funding has paid for repairs to damaged paintwork at the shop frontage, window frosting and new signage which has now elevated the salon to the next level.
WLT Surveyors – business start-up grant, digital grant
A growing Midlands chartered surveyors has been able to expand further after setting up home in Madeley.
Wiggins Lockett Thompson (WLT) Surveyors opened its doors on the high street in March 2022 after receiving a business start-up grant through the Pride in Our High Street programme.
Although the business already has bases in Solihull and Ironbridge, the Ironbridge premises has limited expansion space leaving little scope for further growth.
The move to Madeley has added to the business, commercial and financial expertise in Madeley - with a planning consultancy, accountants and law firm all nearby.
WLT’s premises on 73, High Street is the former Barclays Bank and is a listed building which the company owners plan to restore to its former glory, supported by the grant which helped the business to set up in the building initially.
This move has given the business an additional high street presence and the potential for growth in a great town centre location.
Looking ahead, WLT are looking to relocate their staff from Solihull to Madeley and take on more staff as the business continues to develop.
WLT has wide expertise in the surveying and commercial property sector and works with long-term retained clients on a broad range of property portfolios.
In addition, WLT has also been supported with a digital grant towards the costs of installing a telephone and computer network.
Boulton’s Artisan Butchers – business start-up grant
Boulton’s Artisan Butchery Ltd has filled a huge gap on the high street in Madeley after opening in February 2022 thanks to a Pride in Our High Street business start-up grant.
It means customers can now make the most of a quality butchers on their doorstep after an absence of 15 years without one in Madeley.
As well as selling locally sourced fresh meats owners Nikola and Martin have also branched to offer a delicatessen service and artisan shop which sells fish, bread, eggs, cakes and farm shop quality produce.
Qualified master butcher Martin has an extensive knowledge of the meat industry and worked as an apprentice butcher for Banks Butchers in Madeley in the early 1980s.
Boulton’s Butchers were given approval to trade as a butchers in Madeley by nearby Tesco as the store no longer has a meat counter and saw it as a benefit to the town.
As well as the business start-up grant, Boulton’s has also received an eco grant to move to eco packaging which is making it a more sustainable and eco friendly business.
Happy House Lettings – eco grant
Property management and letting business Happy House Lettings has used an eco grant to install LED low energy lighting at its Madeley office.
This is a large office space and the tubular lighting which was previously in place is very expensive to run.
The LED lighting has helped the business to reduce its energy costs.
In addition, the grant has also helped to buy a new A-rated energy saving fridge as the previous fridge was very old.
Since the Pride in Our High Street programme started we’ve handed out a total of 55 grants in Newport.
The funding has helped businesses to start-up on the town’s high street, improve their shop frontages and help them to reduce costs by becoming more environmentally sustainable.
In Newport out of 190 units, just 7 (4%) are currently empty.
The figure is well below the UK national average for empty high street units which is 14% (source: Local Data Company).
Brockton Care Ltd
Brockton Care Ltd opened new offices in Newport after receiving a business start-up grant through the Pride in Our High Street programme.
The business, previously based in Ercall Heath, moved into a spacious empty unit on Newport High Street.
Up to 90 staff across the group moved into the new offices and the relocation has also paved the way for a further 10-15 new jobs.
Brockton Care Ltd provides care for the elderly, Dementia and Alzheimer’s patients, those with learning difficulties, discharged patients from hospitals as well as palliative care, respite care and end of life care at home.
Artworx – eco grant
Award-winning Newport art gallery Artworx is saving money on energy bills and has become more eco friendly after receiving a Pride in Our High Street eco grant.
The business has used the funding to buy new energy efficient dehumidifier units which help to control condensation levels in their basement storage area and protect artwork.
Previously the original units weren’t as good for the environment and with energy prices on the rise the new equipment, which is renowned for its energy efficiency and low energy consumption, is likely to save the gallery money.
The family-run business offers original paintings, limited edition prints and sculptures from local and international artists.
Glasshouse Opticians – façade grant
Independent optometrists Glasshouse Solutions are catching the eye thanks to a new shop façade.
The business, which provides specialist eye care services for all, has been able to completely upgrade its appearance after receiving a façade grant through the Pride in Our High Street programme.
The previous frontage at the practice on the High Street was looking tired and in need of re-painting before the grant boost.
Now a repaint and new signage has given the business a lift which has made it much more appealing to customers and passers by.
The business has a highly trained and talented team who provide a high level of personal and professional service and offers the latest hospital grade eye testing equipment.
Society, Newport Indoor Market – business start-up grant
A business-start-up grant helped to bring a unique bar and beer house to Newport in October 2021.
Society opened its doors in Newport Market Hall and has given the local community and people from further-a-field the opportunity to enjoy an amazing space within Newport but one which has the feel of a city venue.
Owner’s name is Stephanie Brinkwater, along with her husband David, who relocated from South Africa in 2018, completely restored and refurbished the magnificent old market hall building before it opened.
The funding from Pride in Our High Street supported some of the start-up costs to get the building ready for trading.
Society has retained as much character and original features from the original building as possible and brought an eclectic vibe and different spaces for people to enjoy each other’s company as well as a selection of great beers and wines.
The venue offers regular events, entertainment and large screens to show live sporting events and has created a number of new jobs in Newport.
Cotton Corner & Dollies and Dungarees – start-up trial grants
Seamstress Julie Harper has the world at her fingertips after gaining a new lease of life through her business start-ups in Newport.
Julie turned her lockdown passion into business ventures which have become popular additions to Newport Indoor Market and boosted her mental health at the same time.
Julie opened her market stall, Cotton Corner, in April 2022 and the stand sits adjacent to Dollies and Dungarees which launched in October 2021.
She was able to open both thanks to start-up trial grants awarded through the Pride in Our High Street programme.
Julie rekindled her passion for sewing during the lockdowns when she was at a low ebb and suffering with her mental health.
She started fine tuning her skills around the clock, developing her own range of dungarees and clothing, and when she heard about the start-up trial grant it inspired her to set up her own business.
Cotton Corner sells a range of affordable fabrics and colourful cotton which can be used for curtains, dress making, soft furnishings, cushions and tablecloths.
It goes hand in hand with Dollies & Dungarees, which sells reversible dungarees and children’s clothing as well as made-to-order clothing.
Both market stalls are open on a Tuesday, Friday and Saturday at Newport Indoor Market from 8am to 3.30pm.
In Oakengates we’ve handed out a total of 34 grants since the Pride in Our High Street programme was launched.
The funding has helped businesses open on the high street, test their business idea out as a high street venture, improve their shop frontages, help them to reduce costs by becoming more environmentally sustainable and become more digitally savvy.
In Oakengates out of 123 units, just 4 (3.2%) are currently empty which is well below the UK national average for empty high street units which is 14% (source: Local Data Company).
Gems – start-up grant, façade grant
In 2018, expanding business Gems made the move from St Georges to an empty shop unit in Oakengates after receiving a business start-up grant.
The fabric and haberdashery shop, which has been serving the community for over 30 years, is now based on Market Street in Oakengates after outgrowing its previous unit.
Funding helped grandmother and granddaughter duo Sue and Bianca Gregory to revamp their new premises which hadn’t been maintained and was in need of extensive refurbishment and modernisation.
The unit has more space to display a wider range of fabric and haberdashery items and a separate area for a dress, curtain and blind making and alterations service.
Before receiving the grant, Sue and Bianca put forward an excellent business plan that demonstrated thorough research, evidence of need and demand, competitor analysis and a clear marketing strategy to take the business forward.
Gems provides a wide range of fabric and alterations alongside (but not limited to) dress making, curtain making, large wool selection and wadding.
Since the unit in Oakengates opened, Gems has also received a façade grant which helped to fund new signage at the shop and improve its high street appearance.
Kings Menswear – diversification grant
Kings Menswear now has a greater online presence after being boosted by a Pride in Our High Street diversification grant.
Thanks to the funding, the business has built a new website enabling items of clothing to be viewed and sold online.
Kings is also using the website as a platform to market a new line to its product range - a non-binary suit which is suitable for same gender customers looking for a suit that isn’t specifically created for the female form.
Customers may feel more confident in the male form fitted suit but still need adjustments for their own physical form.
An increase in online sales is also having a positive impact on the footfall to Oakengates.
Recognising that many customers still like to feel the fabric and try on, despite the online sales function, the business is offering private fittings to accommodate those customer that need to try clothing on in person.
Kings also has an ongoing arrangement for fittings with Gems in Market Street which shows how local businesses are working together.
Proactive Personnel – digital grant
Recruitment agency Proactive Personnel are stepping up their search for new candidates after developing a new website with support from Pride in Our High Street funding.
The business has been awarded a digital grant to help it create a new customer facing website with improved functionality and accessibility for jobseekers.
Proactive Personnel are relocating to another unit in Oakengates but they will still be high street based and this website has enhanced services for the user.
Telford Academy of Performing Arts – façade grant
A dance and performing arts centre in Oakengates has received a facelift thanks to a façade grant.
Telford Academy of Performing Arts has been able to smarten up its two units in Oakengates which were in need of repair thanks to the Pride in Our High Street funding.
Owner Kerry Perks-Sismanidis applied for the grant to enable her to replace tiling at the front of both units which was in poor repair and was chipped and damaged.
The frontage of both units was also looking very tired and has been repainted to smarten them up.
These two sizeable units have both benefited enormously from the revamp.
Oakengates Mall – eco grant
An eco grant has paved the way for a new eco toilet to be installed on the upper floor of Oakengates Indoor Shopping Mall.
This additional toilet facility is assisting the disabled and elderly who visit the Mall on Market Street –a hidden gem full of shops which also contains a café.
The eco toilet saves water as the hand wash facility sits on top of the cistern and fills the cistern.
The flush system also uses less water so saving on water and recycling used water is helping to keep costs down.
In Wellington we’ve handed out a total of 132 grants since the Pride in Our High Street programme was launched.
The funding has helped businesses open on the high street, test their business idea out as a high street venture, improve their shop frontages, help them to reduce costs by becoming more environmentally sustainable and become more digitally savvy.
One of the biggest success stories in Wellington is the growth of Wellington Market Food Court which has seen many business test out their food business ventures with support from business start-up trial grants.
The food court, which builds on the growing food theme in Wellington, is meeting the growing demand for street food and businesses in the food court all offer different cuisine catering for a wide choice for customers.
Some of the food items which stalls offer include pizza, cakes, and healthy food options.
In Wellington out of 216 units, 8 (3.7%) are currently empty which is well below the UK national average for empty high street units which is 14% (source: Local Data Company).
We are continuing to work with businesses in Wellington and throughout the borough to make sure these empty units are filled.
Odd Pals
Odd Pals has been a very popular addition to Wellington Market’s Food Court.
The business, which is owned by experienced chefs Matt Palin and Wioleta Odrakiewicz received a start-up trial grant through our Pride in Our High Street which helped them to open up in the market in 2023 and since then they’ve never looked back.
Matt and Wioleta have created an exciting menu filled with global inspiration.
Dishes range from Philly cheese steaks and katsu curries to Asian grills and a different take on gammon, egg and chips.
Although the Odd Pals menu spans the breadth of the globe, the ingredients they use come from much closer to home with 90 per cent of their kitchen stock coming from Wellington Market itself.
Boardroom Gaming Café – business start-up grant
Board game enthusiasts are making the most of an enterprising high street business which has received support from Pride in Our High Street funding.
Jon Drew and his wife Jenni opened Boardroom Gaming Cafe in New Street, Wellington after completely refurbishing the former health food store.
The funding helped them with the makeover and to prepare the business for opening on the high street.
Boardroom Gaming Café, which has brought something completely new to Wellington, has a library of games people can rent to play, socialise with friends and enjoy drinks and snacks in a friendly environment.
Games for rent include board, card and dice games as well as imported Japanese Manga comic books and trading cards.
The venue, which also offers Sensory Sundays every week for people with aspergers or autism, has been welcomed by the Wellington community and visitors to the town.
Chill Out Skate Shop – business start-up grant
Chill Out Skate Shop is a first for Wellington, offering and selling an exciting range of branded clothing and equipment for skateboarders.
The business, on Market Street, received a start-up grant through the Pride in Our High Street programme which helped to cover fit out costs in the unit to prepare it for opening.
As well as filling empty retail units, this is one example of how the programme is filly empty retail units with unique shops which bring something different to Wellington and our other borough towns.
The skate shop is a one stop shop for quality skate and streetwear brands which can be purchased online as well as in store.
Telford Music School – eco grant, façade grant, digital grant
Telford Music School is hitting all the right notes on the high street after benefiting from a series of Pride in Our High Street grants.
The school offers lessons in piano, keyboard, guitar, classical singing, musical theatre, drama, flute, clarinet, bassoon, violin, viola, ukulele and more.
An eco grant has helped the school to become more sustainable by switching from plastic carry cases for instruments to reusable carry cases which are more sustainable.
The business is also reducing its print costs by moving away from printed paper posters to LED posters for their window displays which promote the services they offer.
A façade grant has helped the school to smarten up its overall shop frontage appearance and install a hanging sign making the venue easier to find for customers.
The grant has helped with a sanding and repaint of the front of the shop which was looking tired.
Meanwhile, the school also successfully applied for a digital grant which will help the business offer online lessons.
The funding is going towards installing an online conferencing device on the website and will also support website conference hosting fees.
The Orbit – business start-up grant, façade grant, digital
The former Clifton Community Arts Centre has been transformed into a popular arts cinema and community venue which has become a real asset to the high street.
The Orbit, which opened in summer 2019, received a business start-up grant to help prepare it for its launch.
Visitors can enjoy a host of facilities at the venue including a 63 seat cinema, a café/bar, multi-purpose rooms on the upper floors and a basement that community groups can use for different activities.
The café and cinema receive lots of visitors on a daily basis, either to enjoy one of the range of films being screened, have lunch or enjoy a selection of home baked cakes.
Since opening, Pride in Our High Street has also supported The Orbit with a façade grant to which has supported a major facelift.
The façade works were huge due to the size of the building but have made a huge difference to the Orbit’s overall appearance.
A digital grant has also helped The Orbit upgrade its broadband after the business experienced a poor internet connection from its previous provider.
The Pride in Our High Street funding has helped The Orbit to identify a new internet provider which will deliver 100mb for the internet and phone service.
A large bandwidth is needed for the cinema to stream films and this support is essential to help The Orbit grow.
Wellington Market Food Court – business start-up trial grants
Wellington Market is catering for every taste at its food court, backed by Pride in Our High Street grant funding.
Noodles, pizza, filled jacket potatoes and much more are on the menu at the food court which opened in May 2021 and is meeting the growing demand for street food.
Start-up trial grants have supported many of the small businesses who have stands in the court so they can test out their business ventures on the high street.
New job opportunities have also been created for local people as a result of these business openings.
The food court has added to Wellington Markets existing offer and brings a new dynamic which is attracting shoppers and visitors to the town.
Start-up trial grants have helped businesses to pay for rent, fixtures and fittings, a percentage of initial trading stock and marketing costs.
Businesses which have received start-up trial grants to set up at the food court include:
Red Dragon Noodles
Red Dragon Noodle Bar is housed across two units in the food court and sells freshly made Chinese and Indian cuisine.
The owners have a wealth of experience in hospitality and catering and have previously had stalls at many big events such as food markets, balloon fiestas, Christmas markets and bonfires and firework events.
Park Street Kitchen
Owner Emma Williams started to deliver ready cooked food from her home in January 2020 as a new business venture.
During the Covid-19 pandemic her business quickly grew and she realised she needed bigger premises.
She continues to offer a delivery service as well as running her and cooks food to suit all dietary needs, all based on good nutritional recipes.
Gorgeous Pizza Company
Gorgeous Pizzas Company (GPC) Limited formed in October 2020.
Owner Angela Auerbach looked at ways she could develop her own business and started trading from her home in Shrewsbury.
She has a 5 star food hygiene rating and was keen to expand her business which is why she moved into the Food Court.
Her market stall has enabled her to expand her range of healthy fresh pizza made to order including a breakfast paninis offering.
Bubbly’s Kitchen
Jacket potatoes are the order of the day at Bubbly’s Spuds.
Jacket spuds are a great all year round lunchtime meal, with cold fillings or salad in the summer and hot delicious fillings in the winter.
This business fills a gap in terms of an alternative food offering in the Market Food Court.
Last updated: 25/10/2024 15:58
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