Grants for Beverley FM and Wed Market

East Riding of Yorkshire Council has approved eight more applications to its High Street Fund, providing new investment to support activities that will boost the area’s high streets and market places.

A great deal of interest has been expressed since the fund’s launch earlier this year and this second round of funding allocations follows an initial three applications that were awarded in October.

The grants panel has been very impressed by the quality of applications submitted and there has certainly been no shortage of ideas and views on what the funding can be spent on to support the East Riding’s variety of high streets, with proposals for heritage trails, events, markets, festivals, improving shop fronts and new ways of advertising and promotions.

The second round considered and approved the following project applications in Beverley, resulting in £54,324 being awarded across the East Riding.

Beverley FM is a new not-for-profit community radio station licensed by Ofcom. A key part of its 24-hour-per-day broadcasting remit is that the station has a responsibility to provide broadcast opportunities for local communities, businesses, organisations and groups within its transmission area.

One of the ways it will be doing this is by broadcasting live, outside coverage and programmes from various venues, including High Street shops and town centres, festivals, events, concerts, and community centres.

The station will provide local people with opportunities to not only entertain the public but also to gain broadcasting skills not currently available to them. Regular FM broadcasts from East Yorkshire town centres will be promoted on-air in advance, encouraging public attendance and interest.

Beverley Town Council will pilot an extended Wednesday Market once a month; including a specialist local produce market, which could, in time, extend into Railway Square, if this pilot project proves viable.

With stalls for local growers and producers, there is an established appeal for all ages and abilities, including residents, visitors and businesses. This pilot project aims to make good use of the area and, by creating an enhanced market, aims to increase the footfall and improve connectivity through the whole town of Beverley. Its main objective is to re-ignite the high street and make the project self-sustaining.

This pilot project would help to assess demand from stallholders and test the response from visitors.