Fund to boost winter hospitality trade extended

From November 2024 to March 2025, £49,000 of funding was offered via the scheme

A grant scheme that gives Manx hospitality, entertainment and retail firms support to host special events during the "quieter" winter months has been extended.

The Winter Event Scheme, launched in 2022 and funded by the Department for Enterprise (DfE), aims to help firms boost income by attracting more customers.

Venues can apply for up to 80% of the cost of staging an event, with the maximum grant capped at £2,000. That figure was previously £1,500.

The support period has also been extended to run from October to March 2026, instead of beginning in November.

Enterprise Minister Tim Johnston the scheme was a "vital support mechanism for local businesses during the quieter trading period".

By increasing the maximum funding available venues were being "encouraged to be creative and proactive in engaging their communities", he said.

Alongside the Local Economy Strategy - a 10-year plan to boost footfall and fill empty shops - the plans were designed to "stimulate demand" and "contribute to the vibrancy and sustainability of our city and towns", he added.

Between November 2024 to March 2025, the scheme approved applications for 138 events offering £49,000 in funding,

The DfE said that had supported "a potential footfall of 13,000 into local businesses" during the winter months.

The fund supported a Christmas fete in Peel last year

The grants will again be available for events such as open-mic nights, quiz nights, drama performances, craft workshops and film screenings.

Artreach Studios in Peel applied to the fund to help promote their Christmas market featuring artisan traders selling their ceramics, paintings, prints and seasonal artwork.

Director Kate Jerry said the grant had made "a massive difference" to the studio's ability to "properly market" the not-for-profit fayre held in December 2024.

"We'd have been very limited without it," she said.

Ms Jerry said the team was a group of visual artists who "take great pride" in showcasing their work, and that the event also provided a platform for other local creatives.

"It's one of the highlights of the year for us... but it does also encourage footfall into Peel in general and into the studio so that is helpful for us too," she said.

'Crucial'

The team at the Mannin Hotel in Douglas said it had previously made use of the scheme to host a series of tribute nights.

General Manager Stephen Ball said the funding had helped "with the logistics of bringing acts and equipment over from the UK, which was crucial to delivering the events to a high standard".

It had meant the hotel had been able to host more of the "overwhelmingly well received events" than could have been "managed independently".

Launched on 1 October, the scheme is set to remain open to applications until March.