Cadwyn Clwyd Injects Over £1 Million into Flintshire Tourism Sector

Tourism enterprises in Flintshire have received a substantial financial boost through two rounds of funding facilitated by Cadwyn Clwyd, a social enterprise working in partnership with Flintshire County Council and Business Wales. Since 2023, the organisation has channelled UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) resources to support local businesses.

The funding has enabled 50 tourism-related businesses to invest in new equipment, technology, facilities, and sustainability initiatives. These investments have helped companies diversify their offerings, enhance productivity, and adopt greener practices.

In the latest 2025-2026 round, known as the Flintshire Tourism Growth Fund, 19 businesses were awarded grants of up to £17,500 each. This phase alone distributed £267,251, facilitating the adoption of new technologies and processes, safeguarding 16 jobs, and supporting 15 projects with environmental improvements such as solar panel installations and upgraded energy systems.

Kath Lewis, Tourism Business Project Officer at Cadwyn Clwyd, highlighted the significant impact of the programme. She stated: “Across the two rounds of SPF funding we have invested £929,000 in 50 Flintshire businesses and helped unlock a further £398,000 of investment from the businesses themselves. That means more than £1.3 million has been invested in local tourism businesses, helping them put their plans into action, improve productivity, introduce new technology and become more sustainable.”

One beneficiary, Yvonne Marland, owner of Yvonne’s Café in Connah’s Quay, used the funding to enhance her outdoor seating area and install solar panels. She commented: “What I love most about running the café is the variety of customers we meet each day, from dog walkers and cyclists to local tradespeople, delivery drivers and tourists. We’re very fortunate to be consistently busy, particularly in the summer months, so the outdoor seating area means we can welcome even more customers – especially cyclists and dog walkers who may prefer to sit outside with their pets and equipment. And the installation of solar panels has halved our outgoings, which has been a huge relief. The application process via Cadwyn Clwyd has been smooth from beginning to end, and we’re proud to be playing our part in making Flintshire a more sustainable place to live, work and visit.”

Other businesses have utilised the grants to expand capacity and improve visitor experiences. For instance, The Smithy Bakery invested in a new oven that doubled its production capacity, while Park in the Past enhanced its outdoor recreational facilities.

The supported businesses span a wide range of sectors within Flintshire’s tourism economy, including hospitality, arts, recreation, retail, and visitor services. Kath Lewis added: “For some businesses, the grant allowed them to bring forward investments they had been considering for several years. For others, it made an investment possible that simply could not have gone ahead without financial support. These are locally owned businesses investing their own money alongside the grant support, and that investment helps strengthen Flintshire’s wider visitor economy.”

Looking ahead, Cadwyn Clwyd aims to build on this momentum with potential additional funding for North-East Wales businesses. Lowri Owain, Company Manager at Cadwyn Clwyd, explained: “The results of the Shared Prosperity Fund show what can be achieved when public investment is used to unlock additional private sector investment and give businesses the confidence to grow. We are now in the final stages of securing a further £1 million investment through the UK Local Growth Fund for Flintshire. If successful, this will allow us to build on what has already been achieved and support more start-ups and SMEs to invest in equipment, technology, innovation and business growth. The aim is to continue unlocking investment that makes a genuine difference to individual businesses and contributes to stronger, more productive and resilient local economies.”

To assist businesses interested in the forthcoming Local Growth Fund grants, Cadwyn Clwyd will hold free drop-in information sessions. These events provide opportunities to discuss potential projects, eligibility, and the application process directly with the Cadwyn Clwyd team.

The sessions are scheduled as follows:

• Monday 21 September 2026, 1.00pm–6.00pm at Springfield Hotel, Pentre Halkyn
• Tuesday 22 September 2026, 9.30am–1.00pm at St David’s Park Hotel, Ewloe

Attendance is free, and no appointment is necessary; businesses can drop in at any time during the stated hours. For further details, contact Helen Williams at Cadwyn Clwyd by emailing admin@cadwynclwyd.co.uk or calling 01490 340500.