Frankston City employment enhanced thanks to activation grants
Published on 06 September 2021
The campaign to fill Frankston City’s vacant shops and enhance local employment is gaining momentum with three businesses taking advantage of a new activation grant.
Betty’s Burgers will move into 25 Playne Street and a new, gourmet sandwich bar by Eeny Meeny Café will go into the Station Street Mall.
Loom and Spindle, a textile and yarn crafting specialty store, will activate a shopfront at 16 Station Street to help shape the Australian crafting industry and bring creativity to the location.
Each business was assessed by an independent panel and has secured a $20,000 Vacant Shopfront Activation Grant to help them get started with their venture.
Frankston City Council in partnership with the Victorian State Government offered the new grant program specifically to attract new businesses to vacant shopfronts across the City.
A strong focus of the grant was strengthening employment opportunities in the region.
Betty’s Burgers Chief Commercial Officer, Merissa Collins, said they were excited to enhance the revitalisation of Playne Street with their 1950s burger shack style family restaurant, which began in Noosa Heads in 2014.
Ms Collins said a main drive of the organisation was to help boost local and youth employment.
Ms Collins said: “Betty’s Burgers has big plans to employ up to 60 staff members, so we are thrilled to be able to support and build employment in the local area. Betty’s is not only known for our made to order fresh and delicious burgers but for our unique restaurant design inspired by our original Noosa beach shack,” Ms Collins said.
“Betty’s restaurants are designed as a destination for besties, couples and families to catch up and relax and sink into the beach inspired ambience while having a dining experience that will leave you wanting to come back again.
“Frankston beach side is the perfect spot for Betty’s Burgers and the grant will help us make this a reality sooner,” Ms Collins said.
Ms Collins said she and the Managing Director are locals to Frankston and keen for the restaurant to add to the resurgence of the City and become part of the rich community fabric.
“As parents with children in local high schools here, we are already confident with the resonance the brand will have with the youth and families of Frankston. The development of Playne Street and the hospitality sector across Frankston is very important to us,” she said.
Deputy Mayor Nathan Conroy said Council is committed to establishing new businesses, creating growth and supporting local employment outcomes in Frankston City.
Cr Conroy said: “The grant has been designed to financially assist with transforming properties into confident, sustainable and attractive spaces that create new business and jobs for Frankston City and surrounding suburbs.
“These grants are a fantastic incentive to not only help businesses pursue their bricks and mortar enterprises, but also help revitalise the City’s economy,” Cr Conroy said.
The State Member for Frankston, Paul Edbrooke MP, congratulated the grant recipients, adding: “Congratulations to our Vacant Shopfront Activation Grant recipients who will breathe even more life into our CBD.
“Considering the challenges that COVID-19 has thrown at our city, I’m very pleased to have assisted Council to secure funding for this crucial initiative,” Mr Edbrooke said.
Nine applications for the Vacant Shopfront Activation Grants were evaluated and assessed against Council desired outcomes such as creating local employment, increasing foot traffic, demonstrating positive flow on impacts for other local businesses, invigorating retail shopping strips and activating an unused site.
The Vacant Shopfront Activation Grant funding pool totalled $110,000, with $60,000 of the total funding pool provided by the Office of Suburban Development and endorsed by the Frankston Revitalisation Board.
The additional $50,000 was committed as part of Council’s COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Package 2020-2021. For more information, please visit https://www.frankston.vic.gov.au/Business-and-growth/Business-Grants