Recap: Newhaven Enterprise Zone Town Centre Champions meeting, 5 December 2024
Bold plans to elevate the look of Newhaven town centre are gathering momentum, with five funding applications in the pipeline for 2025 as part of Newhaven Enterprise Zone’s Town Centre Revitalisation Fund.
This was just one of the positive stories to emerge at the packed Newhaven Champions meeting on 5 December at The Ship, which has been revamped and is serving up delicious food from the popular Seaford Piggery.
More than 60 people from the Newhaven community turned up to hear more about plans to rejuvenate the town centre by improving shop exteriors, with grants of up to £7,500 available for town centre businesses.
Newhaven Enterprise Zone (NEZ) programme director Corinne Day chaired the meeting and introduced the guest speakers, including The Company Connector managing director Jeremy Taylor, who is leading the Town Centre Revitalisation Fund, Lee Davies, director at HNW Architects, who is advising on shopfront design and Nick Stockman, Newhaven creative producer at Towner Eastbourne, who reported on the exciting arts events the town has been enjoying and what’s in store for 2025.
As it stands, 30 businesses had expressed an interest in the Town Centre Revitalisation Fund and 14 outline proposals for improvements had been received. Almost every business in the town centre had been spoken to and the team was working hard to engage with the landlords of nine empty units. A total of five shops are prepping for a funding application in January 2025.
Jeremy explained if the outside of the shops looks more attractive and up-to-date, while remaining in keeping with the history of the buildings, it will help to encourage people to visit and return to the town centre.
It is hoped once retailers see the improvements to the neighbouring shops, the two-year programme will gather momentum and more retailers will be motivated to apply for funding and seek advice from HNW Architects to elevate their shopfronts.
Lee from HNW Architects explained the guiding principles behind improving shopfronts in Newhaven which his firm had devised. These will help businesses to understand how they can build on the visual appeal of their shopfronts and ultimately help them to attract more shoppers.
An update from Newhaven creative producer Nick revealed arts events in 2024 had attracted thousands of visitors from outside the town and given local residents lots of events to enjoy as well, with funding coming from Newhaven Enterprise Zone and other sources.
The Marine Workshops and The Sidings had hosted numerous arts events during the course of the year, while the Ravilious art trail drew significant media attention in 2023.
Positive feedback had been received about family events at The Sidings which featured food, music, games and even hula hoop workshops. Visitors reported the events had made them want to live in Newhaven and some even remarked that there was more going on in the town than Lewes!
The Creative Newhaven programme of activity is helping to build Newhaven’s reputation as a vibrant place to be for creative people.
Next year’s cultural programme of events will look to further drive footfall into the town centre. NEZ will also fund a creative programme of events next year with a mandate to boost jobs and growth.
Corinne urged the Newhaven Champions to promote the collective ambition for Newhaven with a can-do attitude, to celebrate the successes and to think about what they could achieve next.
She called on the attendees to tell their friends, neighbours and colleagues about the positive change taking place in the town and highlighted the national coverage Newhaven has been securing as a great place to visit.
Corinne also added that the NEZ Business Plan is ultimately designed to help boost growth and jobs and to build on the town’s reputation as a great place to work and run a business.
The meeting also discussed ideas regarding the type of events and activities that could help attract visitors into the town centre, such as an art trail, a regular market, antique car show, cycling or running events, light shows and a late-night Christmas shopping event with fairground rides.
NEZ is running a series of funding programmes to boost economic growth in the town which includes the Town Centre Revitalisation Fund, the Low Carbon Fund and Empty Sites and Property Fund amongst others.
To find out more, visit our page on Newhaven Unleashed here.
