Rural businesses set to benefit from a £1m boost from County Council

RURAL businesses and organisations in Rother are among those set to benefit from a £1m funding boost from East Sussex County Council.

Nine projects from across the county, put forward by businesses, organisations, groups, a college and a local council, have had their grants approved through the County Council’s Rural Growth and Employment Fund (RuGEF).

The grants and loans amount to over £1m and will be used to help set up new businesses or expand existing ones, create new jobs and support training.

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Among the nine projects to benefit from the funds are three in Battle, Rye and Bexhill.

Kitchenham Farm in Ashburnham, near Battle, will receive funding towards the expansion at Pebsham Rural Business Park.

The Fletcher Centre in Rye will receive funds to help develop a cinema and entertainment centre in the town.

And Beautiful Design and Print in Bexhill will receive a proportion of the money to help expand the business.

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Other organisations to benefit from the funding boost will be the Princes Trust, which will use the funds to offer enterprise training and support for young people in rural districts, and Plumpton College, which will use its share to purchase equipment to offer training and resources for dairy and forestry/woodland industries.

Projects in Heathfield, Hailsham and Lewes have also been given the green light for funding.

The projects have all been approved by ESCC, subject to contracts being signed.

East Sussex County Councillor Matthew Lock, lead member for economy said: “I’m delighted that we’ve approved funding for the first batch of rural businesses and organisations.

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“We said we would provide direct help and now we’re making good on the promise.

“It’s all part of our £6m economic intervention fund designed to help business and boost our local economy.

“More RuGEF funding will be made available later next month and other grants for businesses are also on offer so I would urge firms to get in touch.”

To see how ESCC can help your business, visit the council’s website at: www.eastsussex.gov.uk/business or email [email protected] or telephone 01273 482205.