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East Sussex Business Guide & Directory
East Sussex is fast becoming
known as a hub for business
growth, as more entrepreneurs
turn to East Sussex County
Council and partners for help in
achieving their growth plans.
East Sussex County Council, in
partnership with the Let’s Do
Business Group , has been
awarded £4 million from the
Government’s Regional Growth
Fund. Through Locate East
Sussex this money is now
available as grants and loans
to support growth businesses.
At the base of the South Downs,
in a refurbished old Sussex Barn,
is Burning Sky Brewery, at Firle,
near Lewes. This is a new business
started by local man, Mark
Tranter, an award-winning local
brewer and beer judge.
Mark applied to East Sussex
Invest and was awarded a
£50,000 grant to buy equipment,
including brewing tanks. His aim
is to create six new jobs in East
Sussex. The brewery started in
November 2013 and now has a
full order book and expects to
be running at maximum capacity
very soon. It produces locally-
brewed Artisan beer which is
certainly proving popular.
As well as sales in the UK,
there have already been
enquiries from Europe and
as far afield as Australia.
Mark said:
Without the funding we
would not have been able to
achieve so much, so quickly.
The money was invaluable
and meant we could buy the
essential equipment when we
needed it, so we could hit the
ground running. I would
certainly encourage local
businesses to see if they are
eligible for funding – it could
make all the difference.
Regional Growth Fund
helps local businesses
East Sussex Invest 3:
•
Business Growth Funding
Scheme and Small Business
Grants Scheme offer
between £3,000 to
£250,000 funding.
•
Both schemes are available
to medium, small, micro,
start-up businesses and
social enterprises.
•
Businesses must be based
or planning to set-up in
East Sussex.
•
Businesses must employ
fewer than 250 people
and create new jobs.
•
At least 50% match
funding is required.
•
Start-up sole traders are
eligible if they have been
trading less than a year.
•
Start-up businesses looking
for grants up to £5,000 can
be fast tracked through a
simple application process.
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