Newhaven town centre £100,000 revamp gathers momentum

Six shops have already secured £38,650 of support through the NEZ Town Centre Revitalisation Fund.

The scheme is attracting strong interest from other businesses and is designed to encourage people to spend more time in the town centre to boost the local economy.

Michelle Connors, Newhaven Enterprise Zone (NEZ) said: “The popularity of the Town Centre Revitalisation Fund has been gathering pace and we can’t wait to see the difference this makes to the town centre.

“As awareness grows of what Newhaven has to offer as a great place to run a business and as a visitor destination, having an attractive town centre that encourages people to spend time here is just one part of our journey to further economic growth.

“This year we have £100,000 of funding and next year we will deliver a further £120,000 into the scheme.”

One of the first beneficiaries is Naomi’s Hair Salon, which will relocate from Avis Way to a new premises in the town centre in late autumn, once work is completed. The funding will be used to enhance the shop front with new colours and design, in keeping with the period features of the building.

Naomi Woods, owner of Naomi’s said: “I hope more businesses take up this offer, as it was very easy to apply. It will improve the overall look of the town and help other shops out if they are in need of repairs.

“Newhaven is a great place to have a business as there is such a lovely community feel, and all of the shop owners support each other. Hopefully with the help of the grants, it will encourage new businesses to locate within the town and make it a bustling, lively place once again.”

Other town centre businesses that have already secured funding include Dee’s News and Photos and South Coast Residential, as well as Barwells, Bursa Kebabs and Sarson Funerals. Further applications are being processed from Develop Outdoors, Horace’s Fish Bar and Haven Home Loans.

Jeremy Taylor, managing director of The Company Connector, who is delivering the scheme for NEZ said: “We hope the first projects will be completed in early autumn and the rest of the shopfront improvements will be completed by winter 2026.

“This will lift the appearance of the town centre and we hope to see it have a snowball effect on other buildings as business owners decide they need to redecorate too.

“We are already seeing some of the food and drink outlets building weekend activities to increase footfall and dwell time and we hope the improved look of the Town Centre will build on this.”

Independent retailers, landowners and tenants are invited to apply for grants to enhance the appearance of shopfronts used for commercial purposes. All businesses and landowners located in the Town Centre Enterprise Zone are eligible, with grants available up to a maximum of £7,500. A minimum 25% match funding contribution is required.

Applicants are guided through the process and supported to maximise their chances of success. HNW Architects in Sussex has also produced a design guide for NEZ to help businesses make the biggest impact with their improvements.

For further information, please contact [email protected]  

For further information please visit: https://newhavenenterprisezone.com/newhaven-unleashed/town-centre-revitalisation-fund/