Hospitality businesses in Dover and across Kent can now apply for a share of a national £10 million three-year grant scheme, with a deadline of 13 October 2026.
A £10 million Government Hospitality Grant Scheme is now open to pubs, restaurants and cafés across Kent. Round 1 targets projects that can actually spend the money within the 2026–27 financial year — so if you’ve already got plans drawn up, you’re better placed than most. The scheme covers three things: getting new hospitality ventures off the ground, bringing empty premises back into use, and funding training that builds skills and opens routes into the trade.
Dover District Council flagged the scheme through its White Cliffs Country tourism bulletin. Worth knowing about if you’re sitting on a business plan.
Two free support events are running alongside it. On 7 October 2026, from 10am to 12pm, Kent and Medway Growth Hub is hosting a “Digital Marketing in an AI World & Cyber Security” workshop at Ashford International Hotel, delivered with Made Smarter and the Kent and Medway Business Fund. Nick Huxsted from Gooey Digital will cover how AI and large language models are changing the way customers find businesses. Paul Lopez and Arran Ostridge from the Eastern Cyber Resilience Centre will tackle cyber threats and the practical steps businesses can take to protect their data and their customers. There’s an interactive Q&A and networking too.
And for anyone thinking about going it alone, Kent and Medway Growth Hub is running a free two-day online Business Start-Up course on 3–4 November 2026, from 9.30am to 2.30pm each day. Practical advice from people who’ve actually done it, plus input from experienced Business Growth Mentors. No jargon, the organisers promise.
Three strands of support, landing at roughly the same time: grant funding for hospitality operators new and established, digital skills training open to any Kent business, and start-up guidance for prospective entrepreneurs.
Key information
- Hospitality Grant Scheme: applications close 13 October 2026 — visit gov.uk to find out more and apply
- AI & Cyber Security workshop: 7 October 2026, 10am–12pm, Ashford International Hotel — free, book via Eventbrite
- Business Start-Up course: 3–4 November 2026, 9.30am–2.30pm each day — free, online, run by Kent and Medway Growth Hub
- Further information at www.whitecliffscountry.org.uk or contact the White Cliffs Country Visitor Information Centre, Market Square, Dover CT16 1PH, on 01304 201066 or email tourismnews@dover.gov.uk
£10m Government Grant Opens for Kent Pubs, Restaurants and Cafés Quiz
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