A new grants scheme in Shrewsbury aimed at supporting the growth and evolution of town centre businesses has seen more than 50 businesses applying.

Judged by an independent panel, 11 grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 have now been awarded, totalling £30,000.

The Future Shrewsbury Grants scheme is part of the Work in Shrewsbury (WISH) campaign to drive investment and revenue growth in Shrewsbury. Thanks to the success of this first round of grants, the organisers are now seeking further funding to reopen the scheme and support even more businesses.

The scheme was open to Shrewsbury town centre businesses and activities, and successful applicants ranged from restaurants to shops and community arts initiatives.

“The level of response and quality of applications have shown just how important this sort of grants scheme is to the town. This means we are now actively seeking funding to reopen the grant scheme for a second round and support even more businesses.”

Mandy Thorn, former chair of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership, was on the judging panel and said it was a tough job because the standard of applications was so high.

“It was such a privilege to be asked to be one of the judges of the Future Shrewsbury Grants,” she said. “I was impressed at the breadth and quality of the majority of submissions and it was an incredibly difficult task to decide which projects had the most potential to make a real difference to our county town.”

One of the grant recipients, Sophie Martin, of The Good Egg Bakery in Meadow Place, said the grant would help her grow the business, adding: “Receiving this grant means so much for The Good Egg as it will allow me to expand and do what currently has been slightly out of reach.”

Another successful applicant, Jo Bloodworth, of the Little Shop of Joy based in Shrewsbury Market Hall, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to receive a Future Shrewsbury Grant. It’s such a boost for my small business and helps me to take the next steps to grow. Thank you so much for this opportunity.”

WISH, which is being run by Shrewsbury BID, includes a raft of business support, promotional activities, training and masterclass learning sessions designed to promote investment in Shrewsbury.

The project is part-funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and aims to raise awareness of the superb living and working environment that Shropshire’s county town offers, for business owners and employees alike.

For more information, visit www.workinshrewsbury.co.uk