Newhaven Enterprise Zone delivers £62k funding for pub and restaurant
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A pizza restaurant and micropub are revitalising the high street after Newhaven Enterprise Zone (NEZ) granted them almost £62,000 of funding to help them open.
Pat's Pizza received more than £20,000 while Newhaven Tap benefited from a more than £40k boost.
These new openings build on the town's growing food and drink offering, which has welcomed a raft of new pub and café launches in recent years, including The Bridge and Mahmoosh Riverside.
Both Pat's Pizza and Newhaven Tap have received grants from Newhaven Enterprise Zone's funds including Town Centre Revitalisation, Low Carbon and the Refurbishment of Employment Space.
Michelle Connors, programme manager at NEZ, said: "We were so pleased to be able to help Pat's Pizza and Newhaven Tap to set up in the town centre and their arrival is already making the high street more vibrant.
"The local community have welcomed their arrival and it's great to see them both have such successful starts.
"We'd love to hear from businesses eager to make Newhaven their home and find out how we can help them too."
Pat's Pizza opened at the start of May serving New York and Neapolitan-style pizzas after catering events such as Brighton Spiegeltent and Love Supreme, before becoming the resident kitchen at the Lewes Arms. The micropub next door, Newhaven Tap, also opened at the start of May.
Pat Mundy, founder of Pat's Pizza, said: "We have been so warmly welcomed by the people of Newhaven. One customer told us it has been 'amazing' to see people chatting and socialising on Newhaven high street.
"Newhaven has always had a strong sense of community which is so important to Pat's Pizza. I saw real potential in reviving the high street with our pizza shop and with the help of Newhaven Enterprise Zone funding, this made the dream possible.
"The funding helped make our shop a reality. It helped cover the initial shop fit out and it helped us invest in a top-of-the-range pizza oven, and it meant we could employ talented local artists to design the signage for the outside of the shop. The costs of running a hospitality business are high and to open a shop in the current climate is no mean feat - the funding has really helped soften the blow."
The Newhaven Tap team spent the money on essential repairs and improvements in the building, as well as the design and installation of an energy-efficient beer cellar.
Emily Wright, business manager at Let's Do Business Group, who has been supporting NEZ with its funding programme added: "Helping town centre businesses access NEZ funding is a vital part of supporting regeneration in Newhaven.
"These success stories show how targeted investment, combined with practical business support, can make a real difference to local businesses and the wider high street."
For further information about the NEZ funding programmes please visit: https://newhavenenterprisezone.com/nez-forward/
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Editors notes
Newhaven Enterprise Zone's mission is to transform Newhaven into a thriving business destination by 2030, with a repurposed town centre, to support growth sectors and boost the economy. Its current investment plan includes seven key initiatives, including new grant programmes to drive productivity, business growth and investment, helping to create sustainable, inclusive jobs that benefit the entire community.
