Ice cream business gets government boost

Brickell’s Ice Cream is based between Bruton and Shepton Mallet

A Somerset ice cream business has seen a “significant uplift” in sales following an injection of government funding.

The government’s rural England prosperity fund (REPF) provides grants to small businesses and organisations in rural parts of the UK.

Brickell’s Ice Cream, which is based between Bruton and Shepton Mallet, was among the Somerset businesses to benefit from the first round of funding.

Robert Gore, founder of Brickell's, said: "We have already seen a significant uplift as a result and we have a lot more coming as our season starts.”

'Huge boost'

Somerset Council, which distributes the funding on the government’s behalf, has now invited businesses and organisations to bid for a share of £2.5m within the second round of funding, with individual grants of between £5,000 and £100,000  being awarded.

REPF funding can be used to support new and existing rural businesses to develop new products and facilities that will be of wider benefit to the local economy.

This includes farm businesses looking to diversify income streams, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

It can also be used to support new and improved community infrastructure, providing community services and assets for local people and businesses to benefit the local economy.

To be eligible, the business or organisation in question must be based within a settlement with a town, village or hamlet with a population of under 10,000 people, or within a "hub town" with a population of up to 30,000 - Bridgwater, Taunton and Yeovil are all ineligible.

Mr Gore said: “The rural England prosperity fund has been a huge boost in enabling us to increase our production and supporting infrastructure, allowing us to continue to grow and expand.

“The match funding meant we were able to sign up with a national distributor, confident that we could meet the demand."

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