𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 Funding Updates

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 – 𝐔𝐊 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬

𝗨𝗞 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀

Worcester City Council received an allocation for £2.96m and currently has 3 grant schemes open for applications.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁

This grant offers funding of up to £12,000 towards refurbishment of an empty premises and £6,000 towards improvements of an occupied one.
Businesses at start up stage or trading less than 12 months can apply for a business start up grant of up to £1,000, if home based, and £2,000 if moving into a commercial premises.
Businesses that have been trading longer than 12 months and require financial help to grow their business, can apply for a business growth grant of up to £2,500 if home based and £5,000 if in a commercial premises.
The business must be based in Worcester. Businesses need to apply for the grant and must provide match funding.

For further information email the Economic Development team at Worcester City Council via economy@worcester.gov.uk.


Worcester BID is the official Community and Education Partner for Waddle of Worcester 2023!

We are proud to announce that Worcester BID is the official Community and Education Partner for Waddle of Worcester 2023!

Sam McCarthy, Chief Executive of Worcester BID, said: “Here at Worcester BID, we couldn’t be prouder to be the official Community and Education Partner for the summer 2024 art trail. Following in the footsteps of giraffes and elephants, we welcome penguins to our wonderful city and with them trail goers of all ages from near and far.

“We’ve seen already how being involved in the trail boosts morale across the city and county, including all the schools who get to showcase their artistic talent by designing and decorating a baby sculpture.”

The art trail begins on Monday, 22 July and runs for eight weeks until Sunday, 15 September. Forty large fibreglass penguin sculptures will bring Worcester’s streets and public spaces to life to form an interactive art trail. There will also be a collection of 40 penguin chick sculptures, decorated by schools and community groups, displayed through city shop windows and Crowngate Shopping Centre.

The great Waddle of Worcester is a Wild in Art event brought to the city by St Richard’s Hospice in its fortieth year caring for patients and loved ones.

Sara Matthews, Business Development Manager for St Richard’s Hospice, said: “We are thrilled to have Worcester BID on board, supporting our hospice huddle once again.

“Our previous two trails brought measurable benefits to the economy, tourist industry, arts scene and more locally and we look forward to bringing that same wow factor to Worcester once again.”

Once the trail has ended, the large penguin sculptures will be auctioned to raise money towards the free care that St Richard’s provide to patients with a serious progressive illness and their loved ones.

More on the trail’s Community and Education Programme will be released in the coming months. In the meantime, schools and community groups can register their interest in adopting a baby penguin: https://waddleofworcester.co.uk/schools/

You can also follow the great Waddle of Worcester at: https://www.facebook.com/WaddleOfWorcester/https://twitter.com/WaddleOfWorc  and https://www.Instagram.com/WaddleOfWorcester

 

Read more about BID's involvement in the Great Waddle of Worcester here!

 


Summer is served

Worcester’s food menu is looking tasty for this Summer.  If eating out is a bit of you then read on for our recommendations.

Before you hit the ground running, check out the various food directories that are  available.  Pershore Patty and Worcestershire Foodies Guide are two good places for listings and Pershore Patty is a local blogger who posts regular, independent reviews.

https://pershorepatty.com/worcestershire/

http://www.worcestershirefoodiesguide.co.uk

https://www.visitworcestershire.org/business-directory/category/food-drink

 

Foodie events are popular in the city centre for some weekend entertainment

 

Worcester Dining Club

It’s taking place on Cathedral Square on 12 May, 16 and 23 June from 4-9pm, free entry and no tickets required.

https://www.visitworcester.co.uk/events-in-worcester/worcester-dining-club/?occurrence=2023-05-12

 

Bottles Spanish and Portuguese Wine Tasting

£30 per head, click the image to book.

https://www.bottleswineshop.co.uk/product/span-portuguese-wine-tasting/

 

Vegan Market

This is taking place on Saturday 17 June in Cathedral Square

 

Botanist Bingo – Wednesday 7 June

Always popular – heads down!  Click the picture to reserve your place.

Photo by Jack Kirwin -JK Photography-

 

Worcester city restaurants offer a really wide choice all year round.

 

Locals love – try these for brunch

 

Hash, Chapel Walk, Crowngate Shopping Centre

https://hashdiner.co.uk

 

Waylands, 6 Foregate, Worcester

https://www.waylandsyard.com/worcester

 

 

  

Locals Love – try these for coffee and cake

 

Papas Caffe, New Street, Worcester

https://www.papascaffe.com

G and Tea, Friar Street, Worcester

https://www.gandteabakery.co.uk

Locals love – try these for lunch

 

Food and Liquor, Sidbury, Worcester

Food + Liquor

Friar Street Kitchen, Friar Street, Worcester

https://friarstreetkitchen.co.uk 

 

Locals love – try these for veggie/vegan

 Botanist, Cathedral Square, Worcester

https://thebotanist.uk.com/locations/worcester

No photo description available.

 

Boston Tea Party, Angel Place, Worcester

https://bostonteaparty.co.uk

Locals love – try these for date night dining

Benedictos, Sidbury, Worcester

https://benedictos.com

 

Hanbao, 4 Foregate Street, Worcester

https://www.hanbao.co.uk

 

Fuego, 35 Foregate Street, Worcester

https://fuegoworcester.co.uk

 

Locals love – try these with kids and babies

Auntie Ems Tearoom, City Arcade, Worcester

https://www.facebook.com/auntieemstearoom/about

 

The Wildling Collective, Reindeer Court

https://www.thewildlingcollective.co.uk

 

Locals love – try these dog friendly eateries

 

GoodRoots, Severn Street, Worcester

https://www.goodroots.store

No photo description available.

 

Paw & Co, Reindeer Court

https://www.facebook.com/pawandco

 

NEW! Taste of Worcester

Coming to Worcester this October, Taste of Worcester, a Worcester BID partnership with Visit Worcester that will bring food venues around the city together to offer you something special...!

Let's get together this October and celebrate the best of Worcester's tasty food scene.

More information to come. Watch out for information on @makeitworc on Instagram and @worcesterbid on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Chester's Restaurant and Bar

WORCESTER TRAVEL AGENT NAMED BEST...

WORCESTER TRAVEL AGENT NAMED BEST IN CENTRAL ENGLAND

A Worcester travel agency has been named as the best in Central England.

arrangeMY Escape was named Central England’s Top Agency as part of the TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies 2023: an annual power-list of the nation’s best agents by industry bible, Travel Trade Gazette.

 

It is the second year in a row that the agency has taken the crown for the region, and was last year also named UK & Ireland’s No.1 Travel Agency.

TTG editorial director Pippa Jacks said: “Now in its eighth year, our TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies initiative sees us tour the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland to find those travel agents who have worked smartest, provided the best customer service, and done most to contribute to a fairer travel industry, in the last year.”

“We were delighted to see the high street travel agency sector performing so strongly, with almost every finalist reporting a record year of sales in the last 12 months – reaping the rewards of the extraordinary service they offered to clients during the challenges of recent years. There is no doubting that the high street travel agent is here to stay – and that holidaymakers are valuing their expertise more than ever.”

About arrangeMY Escape’s win, judges said: “Last year's UK & Ireland No.1 has not rested on their laurels over the last 12 months, from working with a local producer to create a branded gin, to creating bespoke video content for display on the in-store TV. We loved the agency's commitment to taking apprentices and work experience placements, and a new scheme whereby arrangeMY Escape plants a tree for every wedding or honeymoon booking. This is an agency excelling in all areas, and going from strength to strength.”

Jennifer Lynch general manager said “What a wonderful 12 months the agency here in Worcester has had. Winning the UK & Ireland No.1 in 2022 propelled the agencies status and determination. With this we concentrated on our customers and focused on all the finer details as well as strongly introducing sustainability as a core part of our company and customers’ journey. The team are thrilled with this award for the second year running and cannot wait to see what the next 12 months ahead will bring.

The TTG Top 50 ceremony took place at The Vox in Birmingham on Thursday 27 April, with more than 500 of the UK and Ireland’s top travel agents and supplier-partners in attendance, with entertainment from Fine Young Cannibals’ Roland Gift and chart-topper Chesney Hawkes.

Find more about TTG’s Top 50 Travel Agencies initiative, see ttgtop50.com and #ttgtop

TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies 2023. The Vox Birmingham. 27th April 2023. Photograph by Steve Dunlop www.stevedunlop.com steve@stevedunlop.com

 

WORCESTER AGENT NAMED BEST IN THE COUNTRY FOR WEDDINGS & HONEYMOONS

A Worcestershire travel agency has been named as the best weddings and honeymoons retailer in the British Isles.

arrangeMY Escape was named UK & Ireland’s Top Weddings & Honeymoons Agency as part of the TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies 2023: an annual power-list of the nation’s best agents by industry bible, Travel Trade Gazette.

TTG editorial director Pippa Jacks said: “Now in its eighth year, our TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies initiative sees us tour the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland to find those travel agents who have worked smartest, provided the best customer service, and done most to contribute to a fairer travel industry, in the last year.”

“We were delighted to see travel retailers performing so strongly, with almost every finalist reporting a record year of sales in the last 12 months – reaping the rewards of the extraordinary service they offered to clients during the challenges of recent years. There is no doubting that travel agents are here to stay – and that holidaymakers are valuing their expertise more than ever.”

About arrangeMY Escape’s win, judges said: “We had a lot of love for the wedding and honeymoon services of this Worcester-based agency, with their strong focus on LGBTQ+ customers and busy schedule of wedding fairs. Hand holding couples with a bespoke after-sales concierge service and showering them with sweet treats, keepsake luggage tags and the gift of a tree planted in a developing country are just some of the ways this agency woos its happy customers.”

Jennifer Lynch the agencies general Manager said “We take immense pride in this award; our wedding and honeymoon packages have really been refined with care and attention to detail. We really think about the journey our special couples experience with us right from the get-go. As a team we are really proud to achieve such a prestigious award and title and look forward to continuing our innovative wedding and honeymoon offering.

The TTG Top 50 ceremony took place at The Vox in Birmingham on Thursday 27 April, with more than 500 of the UK and Ireland’s top travel agents and supplier-partners in attendance, with entertainment from Fine Young Cannibals’ Roland Gift and chart-topper Chesney Hawkes.

Find more about TTG’s Top 50 Travel Agencies initiative, see ttgtop50.com

TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies 2023. The Vox Birmingham. 27th April 2023. Photograph by Steve Dunlop www.stevedunlop.com steve@stevedunlop.com

 

 

Congratulations to arrangeMy escape!

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