Our highly experienced and knowledgeable team of advisers understand how complex business can be.
There are a range of funding schemes available that businesses may be eligible for.
The Invest East Yorkshire team offers workshops, events and networking opportunities.
The Business Support Services team manages The Supply Chain Network Supplier Directory.
Search for business opportunities across the region and beyond.
A variety of useful information, articles, videos, tools, and templates on an array of subjects
Understanding the wider business support landscape.
The team offer a variety of expertise against many business disciplines and sectors.
Beck View Road, Beverley, HU17 0JT
Enterprise Way, Bridlington YO16 4SF
Baffin Way, Brough HU15 1YU
Carlisle Street, Goole, DN14 5DS
Scotchburn Garth, Skerne Road, Driffield YO25 6EF
Bridgehead Business Park, Meadow Road, Hessle, HU13 0GD
Becklands Park, York Road, Market Weighton YO43 3GL
Tom Pudding Way, Goole, DN14 6BS
The Inward Investment Team provides a free and confidential package of services tailored to individual business needs
Encouraging new and growing businesses within East Yorkshire
Humber Freeport Tax sites at Goole and Hull East offer a range of benefits
Meet the Invest East Yorkshire Inward Investment Team
Our planning team can help you identify and resolve issues prior to submission
The Invest Goole team is dedicated to supporting economic growth
A comprehensive range of employment and skills support to inward investors
Commit to considering local and regional suppliers
Take a look at some of our recent Case Studies
When Beth Davies set out to create a welcoming café where parents and carers could relax while young children played safely, she wasn’t just opening a new business, she was creating a destination that is helping strengthen Pocklington’s high street.
Opened in February 2026, Boffy’s Play Café combines a high-quality café with an engaging indoor play environment, giving families a place to spend quality time together while encouraging visitors to stay longer in the town centre. The business is already attracting local families and visitors alike, contributing to the vibrancy of Pocklington’s independent retail offer.
Beth first engaged with the Invest East Yorkshire Business Support Service in November 2025 after identifying a gap in the market for a café designed specifically for parents, carers and young children.
Although Beth had an extensive background in marketing and her husband brought project management experience from the banking sector, running a food business was completely new to them.
Working closely with Business Advisor Stacey Middlewood, Beth received tailored one-to-one support to help transform her idea into a successful business. Through a Business Needs Analysis, Stacey guided Beth through the regulatory requirements of establishing a food business, supported the planning and management of the building refurbishment, and provided advice throughout the start-up journey.
Over more than 18 hours of business support between November 2025 and February 2026, Beth received guidance on business planning, funding applications, project management and preparing to launch the café, which successfully opened its doors on 23 February 2026. With support from Stacey, Beth successfully secured both a UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Capital Grant and a Start-Up Grant.
While Beth was confident presenting her business case to secure commercial finance, Stacey helped refine the grant applications to ensure they aligned with UKSPF priorities and met the programme requirements.
The Capital Grant enabled the purchase of:
The Start-Up Grant supported investment in:
These investments helped create the premium customer experience Beth had envisioned while providing the tools needed to operate efficiently from day one.
Since opening, Boffy’s Play Café has enjoyed a positive response from customers, with many of the play sessions fully booked. The café offers a simple but high-quality food and drink menu that complements its carefully designed play areas, creating a welcoming environment for families.
The business has also begun expanding its offer by hosting activities beyond its daytime sessions, including a successful pottery workshop. Following attendance at an Invest East Yorkshire social media workshop, Beth identified opportunities to use the café as a venue for evening workshops and networking events for local businesses, making even greater use of the town centre premises outside normal opening hours.
Like many first-time business owners, Beth encountered challenges during the refurbishment process. Unexpected contractor costs highlighted the importance of obtaining written quotations and managing supplier communications effectively.
With ongoing support from Stacey and the Business Support Service, Beth was able to overcome these challenges, gaining valuable knowledge that will help shape future business decisions.
Beth also attended an Invest East Yorkshire social media workshop, where she not only developed new ideas for promoting the business but also shared her own marketing expertise with fellow entrepreneurs, demonstrating the value of peer learning and local business networks.
Boffy’s Play Café is providing more than just a place to eat and play. The business has created a new reason for families to visit Pocklington town centre, encouraging longer stays and supporting neighbouring businesses.
As Pocklington continues to benefit from investment and support for its town centre, businesses like Boffy’s Play Café are helping create a more vibrant, diverse and resilient high street that meets the needs of modern communities.
If you are looking to grow your business or explore funding and support opportunities, visit:www.investeastyorkshire.co.uk/business-support
This support was delivered through Invest East Yorkshire Business Support Services programmes designed to help local businesses innovate, invest and grow sustainably across East Yorkshire.
The developer behind a newly approved 400,000 sq ft business site in East Yorkshire has confirmed discussions are under way with potential occupiers for the first unit.
Lovel Developments has received interest from businesses since submitting its outline planning application, with further conversations planned with companies that expressed interest during the planning process.
Philip Lovel, Managing Director of Lovel Developments, said work is now progressing on occupier-specific details, including access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale. Discussions are currently taking place with one business, with the aim of starting work on their project later this year.
He added that the wider development will provide a high-quality expansion of the existing employment area, delivering modern floorspace and creating up to 600 jobs.
The site is located next to Junction 38 of the M62 at Newport and is close to existing business parks, including Green Park, where Lovel Developments relocated in 2019. Units on the site will be restricted to 80,000 sq ft or more and the development benefits from its own power supply, capable of serving large operators.
Mr Lovel said the site’s size, location and availability have attracted interest at a time when nearby employment sites are almost at capacity. He noted that the development is suitable for uses including distribution, storage and light manufacturing, and presents opportunities for both local businesses looking to expand and companies considering investment in East Yorkshire.
Councillor Anne Handley, Leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “We’re proud to support a business-friendly environment in the East Riding, and welcome investment in our region. It is great news that businesses are interested in this site, which will play an important role in job creation and economic growth for our communities.”
Businesses considering expansion or relocation to East Yorkshire can find out more about available sites, support and advice by visiting Invest East Yorkshire’s inward investment page: https://investeastyorkshire.co.uk/inward-investment/
High streets across the East Riding are benefiting from a series of improvement projects delivered by Invest East Yorkshire’s Business Support Services, funded by the United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
Since July 2023, the team has handled around 340 enquiries from retail businesses and delivered targeted support to strengthen local economies, increase footfall and encourage people to shop locally.
Working with town and parish councils, community groups and independent traders, the programme has:
Financial assistance has been awarded to 56 businesses, with £339,459.81 of investment provided. A further 13 town centre businesses have also benefited from grants through the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF).
Councillor Anne Handley, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said:
“We are helping our high streets to thrive by working in partnership with local councils, businesses and communities. With Small Business Saturday approaching, it is a great reminder of the importance of supporting local traders. This is about backing local enterprise and creating places where people want to spend time.”
Further activity is planned, including a High Street Accelerator and business workshops specifically for the retail and hospitality sector.
Invest East Yorkshire Business Support Services provide free, impartial and confidential guidance to new and established businesses in the East Riding, helping them to start, grow, access funding and specialist advice.
Find out more at the Invest East Yorkshire website: www.investeastyorkshire.co.uk
In May 2024, business owners along Dyer Lane in Beverley raised concerns with East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) Business Support Services about declining footfall and challenges in maintaining viable businesses. This historic part of Beverley, home to numerous micro independent businesses, serves as a crucial pedestrian route linking Tesco car park to the town centre but had seemed to have become overlooked by shoppers.
Through consultation with many of the businesses along Dyer Lane and Swaby’s Yard, Felicity Clayton of Invest East Yorkshire’s Business Support Services and Nick Russell from the ERYC Local Growth Team it was identified that a proposed lighting scheme be explored. Through liaising with Internal ERYC departments e.g. planning, street lighting and discussions with Beverley Town Council, the feasibility and agreement for the project was achieved. Delivery was progressed with funding through the Supporting Local Business UK Shared Prosperity Fund and was delivered during December 2024.
The key interventions included:
An updated Beverley Independents Map, aligned with the Visit Hull and East Yorkshire (VHEY) brand, was produced for distribution through the Beverley Tourist Information Centre (TIC).
Outcomes
Feedback
Local traders expressed significant satisfaction with the project’s results, noting increased customer interest and foot traffic. Visitors provided positive feedback via the TIC, particularly highlighting the clarity and usefulness of the new Independents Map. The collaborative approach to problem-solving demonstrated potential for replicating similar initiatives across other parts of East Yorkshire, effectively supporting the vitality and sustainability of independent town centre businesses.
An artisan baker based in Brough has discovered the perfect recipe for success after receiving both financial and practical support from the Invest East Yorkshire team.
Luke Jenneson, who owns and runs Luke’s Bakery, is now able to bake twice as much bread after Invest East Yorkshire helped him to access grant funding to cover the cost of equipment he needed to be able to ramp up production. This, in turn, has enabled him to double his sales and take on additional employees.
Luke produces handcrafted sourdough bread and other baked goods for local retailers and food outlets, as well as selling direct to customers. Since launching his business in December 2022, it has continued to grow and evolve. Luke’s dedication to quality and craftsmanship has been recognised at this year’s Great Taste Awards by the Guild of Fine Food, where his white, white and rye and malted granary sourdough each received gold stars.
The talented baker first contacted Invest East Yorkshire in May last year to enquire about any grant funding streams that his business might be eligible for and find out what other types of support might be available to him.
Tracy Fairbank, a Business Adviser in the Invest East Yorkshire team, explained: “Luke’s business had grown quickly and was almost at capacity with the equipment he had. He needed to buy additional, larger equipment that would enable him to increase production and allow his business to continue growing.”
Tracy helped Luke to access a UK Shared Prosperity Fund grant that made it possible for him to bring his growth plans forward so he could keep up with soaring demand for his bread and other baked goods. As well as successfully guiding Luke through the grant application process, Tracy also put him in touch with the East Yorkshire Local Food Network, which provides useful opportunities for local food and drink businesses to share ideas, information and resources.
Luke used the grant funding to buy the new equipment that he so badly needed, doubling the production capacity of his business and, at the same time, his sales. Thanks to the support he received from Invest East Yorkshire, he has been able to realise the first phase of his business growth plan much sooner than he would have done otherwise.
He explained: “I’m extremely grateful for the support and guidance of the Invest East Yorkshire team. The grant has helped to grow my business by funding additional equipment, which has allowed me to scale-up the capacity of my bakery. I’m now moving into my second year of trading with a much more positive outlook.”
Part of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Invest East Yorkshire’s Business Support team works closely with businesses on projects that will help them to grow and evolve, as well as identifying any sources of funding that may be available to help them. If you’re looking for support or to find out if you’re eligible for grant funding, go to www.investeastyorkshire.co.uk/business-support for more information.
Shields (Driffield) Ltd. is a family-owned mechanical engineering and bulk processing company based on the Kelleythorpe Industrial Estate. Operating mainly in the engineering and manufacturing sectors, it was first established in 1984 and has grown significantly over the years. Forty years on from its launch, the company employs a team of more than 50 people and works with customers across the UK.
Shields first worked with Invest East Yorkshire’s Business Support Services Team more than ten years ago and, since then, has benefited from the advice, support and knowledge of its team of advisors on several occasions, helping to further fuel its growth and development.
Most recently, the company worked with Business Advisor Chris Moore to access a £20,000 grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This enabled Shields to achieve its goal of drastically reducing its carbon footprint by investing in a large solar panel installation project at its headquarters in Driffield.
Chris explained: “Following a review of the business and a discussion about its growth plans, we arranged for Shields to have an independent energy assessment by a specialist company that we appointed. This was fully funded and highlighted a number of energy saving measures they could take as part of their commitment to becoming more environmentally sustainable.”
Chris helped the Shields team to submit a successful application for grant funding to cover part of the cost of installing solar panels. Now in place, they will help reduce the company’s carbon footprint by 20 tonnes per year, as well as helping to reduce its overheads by providing huge energy cost savings. The solar panels will also provide other environmental benefits for Shields, such as providing green energy to power its fleet of electric cars. However, this is only the first phase of the company’s mission to reduce its CO2 emissions and overheads; it also has plans to switch plant, vans and other cars from diesel to electric.
Carey Kelly, a Director at Shields, said: “As a company, we have enjoyed a long and positive relationship with the Invest East Yorkshire Business Support Services team. As the business has grown and our plans have changed, we have worked closely with them, not just in relation to financial assistance but also for ongoing advice and guidance. We are very appreciative of this support and look forward to this relationship continuing as we grow as a business and create more skilled jobs for Driffield and the surrounding area.”
Part of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Invest East Yorkshire offers a comprehensive range of support services to local businesses, delivered by helpful and knowledgeable advisors, who offer a free diagnostic process to help businesses identify the most appropriate support and development opportunities for them. This holistic approach includes one-to-one advice, workshops, networking opportunities and access to a wealth of resources and referrals.
For more information, go to: www.investeastyorkshire.co.uk/business-support/
We use cookies to deliver the website’s basic functionality in a secure manor, analytics cookies to count visits/traffic sources to improve the performance of our site. We share info about the use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. By selecting the “ACCEPT” option, you consent to the use of the above cookies.
