A new project to bring a pizza restaurant to Hull city centre has been boosted by central government levelling up funds awarded by the city council.
The £22,638.18 grant will enable Stretch Pizza to set up a new outlet in two empty units in the Paragon Arcade in the city centre. One of the units was formerly occupied by White Rabbit Chocolatiers.
Restaurant solicitors will be required to complete the final licensing elements if the project, but before then a significant job of readying the site for its use will need to be carried out.
Work will involve tasks such as plumbing, plastering and electrical wiring, in addition to the purchase of the necessary equipment and furnishing for the project. All this will need to be done sensitively in the Grade II listed building.
Portfolio Holder for Regeneration at Hull City Council Councillor Paul Drake-Davis said: “I am delighted to be able to award this grant to Stretch Pizza to help repurpose and regenerate an empty unit in our city centre.”
He added: “The Levelling Up Fund has already benefitted many buildings and businesses in Hull and this is another example of the regeneration work it helps unlock.”
Last year the council was awarded £19.5 million by the government in levelling up funds to spend on infrastructure and city centre regeneration. £7.5 million has been set aside for work to bring empty commercial units back into use.
While many commercial enterprises such as pubs and restaurants in city centres across the UK have suffered from rising energy costs, the situation in Hull could be much more promising over the next few years, thanks to plans to install a city centre district heating system that will provide cheap energy.
A £13 million grant from the Green Heat Network Fund to the city council will enable the development of the energy-from-waste project, which will heat up piped water supplying the central area.