Independent rural businesses across the district are being urged to tap into the expertise and funding on offer from the Suffolk Rural Services Scheme.

This special initiative is aimed at helping independent village shops, pubs or garages to improve or increase the service they offer to their local communities.

“This scheme has been relaunched this year in a revised and improved way so that it can provide better assistance to those businesses that are the bedrock of our rural communities,” said Councillor Ray Herring, Chairman of the Suffolk Coastal Local Strategic Partnership (LSP).

“One of the key goals of the LSP is to maintain and increase the access to services in our rural areas and we are proud to financially support this important initiative which helped four of our local businesses last year.

“It provides business and funding advice, and offers grants of up to £5,000 towards meeting half the project costs of any proposed expansions in the service that could benefit the local area. I would urge any local independent rural business to contact the scheme to see if they can help them to help provide an even better service,” added Councillor Herring.

The scheme also has a community section that will fund essential rural community services such as childcare provision or maintenance of village halls.

The scheme runs across the county and has been made possible thanks to grants from the East of England Development Agency, as well as Suffolk Coastal LSP, district and borough councils with rural areas such as Suffolk Coastal, Suffolk County Council, and the Suffolk Development Agency.   

“This is an excellent example of partnership working to help provide the funding and expertise to help businesses develop and maintain their competitive edge, as shown by last year’s successes in our district at Bredfield, Hollesley, Otley and Peasenhall,” added Councillor Herring.

Anyone wanting to find out if they are eligible for help can contact Stephen Watt or Dawn Smith at Suffolk County Council on 01473 264832 or 01473 264817 or email stephen.watt@suffolkcc.gov.uk or follow this link  for more information.