Ryde businesses including a popular cinema dating back to the 1930s could receive £12,000 in facelift grants.

Ryde Town Council's Community Planning Committee last night decided to go ahead with 2025/26 grant applications to upgrade the shopfronts of seven shops and venues, subject to conditions such as approved listed building consent and two cost quotes being provided.

Successful bidders include Beautique, Men Only Isle of Wight, New Carnival, Slice of Life Café, Brown Leisure Ltd on behalf of the Commodore Cinema and Leo Leisure Bingo and The Gentleman Framers.

Beauty salon Beautique at 20 Cross Street requested a £1,230 external ground floor redecoration using existing colours.

Mental health organisation Men Only Isle of Wight at 134 High Street asked for £850 to 'clean and prepare' its shopfront.

New Carnival, an arts organisation based in a listed building at 13b Union Road, put in a £1,561.14 application for a 'cosmetic refresh' of the building's frontage including a repair and repainting of wood work, fitting glass doors with vinyl signage and creating a new double sided hanging sign.

Slice of Life Café applied for a £2,000 repair and repainting of all woodwork to the front of the building at 177 High Street.

Gambling and betting company Brown Leisure Ltd submitted two £2,500 applications relating to the Commodore Cinema and Leo Leisure Bingo at 2 Star Street and George Street.

The bids included removing weed and loose paint, filling cracks and damaged render, a repaint in white, rubbing the back of the building and a repaint of black wood work and a roller door.

Picture framing shop The Gentleman Framer at 50 High Street made a £1,992 proposal to replace an old aluminium door described as 'problematic' and 'unusable' to those with limited mobility.