Saturday 15 January 2022

East Riding Council has launched a new grant scheme to help businesses in the hospitality and leisure sectors most impacted by the Omicron variant. One-off grants of up to £6,000 are available, provided businesses are registered for business rates and were trading on December 30, 2021. All applications will be subject to a number of fraud checks. 

Businesses able to apply include pubs, restaurants, cafes, wedding and events venues, tourist attractions, hotels and B&Bs and more information is available via the local news page of our website at BeverleyFM.com However, one local restaurateur, James Alcock, of Beverley’s Pig & Whistle, has already criticised the council for the delay in setting the grants process in motion, saying they had first been announced by Government on December 21.

[More information here]

East Yorkshire’s premier tourism awards, the REYTAs, have been put on hold until further notice. Organisers Visit Hull & East Yorkshire told Beverley FM it had taken the decision having listened to the ongoing challenges local tourism businesses are still facing. A spokesman said: “The future plans for the REYTA awards is to continue to align with the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2023 and we are currently working on plans to move forward.”

And finally, fast food outlet KFC is looking to open a drive through in Beverley as part of massive expansion, which would see 500 new restaurants throughout the UK. No site has yet been identified in Beverley but KFC has invited developers to contact them if they have a space that could be of interest, and says the company will pay £20,000 “for all recognised introductions”.