Local businesses have secured £52 million in contracts and coastal events have injected millions into the visitor economy, according to a new regional impact report.
Millions of pounds have boosted the East Yorkshire economy through new business contracts and coastal tourism events.
Local enterprises secured £52 million in commercial contracts over the last year. Coastal events, such as the Race the Waves on Bridlington beach, injected £1.4 million directly into the local economy.
The figures come from a new impact report which reveals the scale of recent economic growth across the region. The 2025-26 figures show significant achievements in job creation and commercial expansion.
More than 1,100 businesses received backing from regional investment programmes. Start-ups and established companies created 65 new jobs, with nearly half of these positions going to young people aged between 16 and 29.
Entrepreneurs launched 47 new businesses, a figure that more than doubles the initial target for the area.
Local success stories highlight the real-world impact of the support. A Bridlington coffee business expanded from a single-person mobile unit into a local employer. Elsewhere in the region, a Brough bakery used grant funding to expand and win a Great Taste gold award, while a Goole flooring company unlocked £2.6 million in new contracts with the help of a single grant.
Financial grants helped 91 local companies to fund business projects worth £1.59 million in total.
Nine regional business centres, stretching from Bridlington to Goole, reached a 94 per cent occupancy rate. These sites provide office and workshop space across 223 units and hosted 1,604 meeting room bookings.
Forty-six new enterprises moved into these managed workspaces, whilst 214 businesses received in-depth ongoing support.
The visitor economy saw major returns on financial investment. More than forty regional events generated £58 for every single pound spent by organisers.
These attractions contributed £8.5 million to the visitor economy. The Beverley Festival of Christmas alone attracted 56,000 visitors to the area. Ninety-one businesses signed up as tourism partners to further boost the sector.
Major infrastructure and industrial projects also secured planning approval to bring inward investment to the region. This includes a £600 million sustainable aviation fuel facility at Saltend Chemicals Park and the start of construction on the £45 million Howden Relief Road.
Further developments include planning approvals at Freeport Goole for Metsä Tissue and 500,000 square feet of new industrial space, with the potential to create up to 5,000 jobs.
Officials promoted the area's investment opportunities at international and national property forums, including MIPIM in Cannes and the UK's Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum in Leeds. This work involved partnerships with Hull City Council and the Hull and East Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council published the 2025-26 Impact Report detailing the achievements of its Invest East Yorkshire and Visit East Yorkshire services.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council Leader, Councillor Anne Handley, said:
"We’re proud to play our role in encouraging investment and tourism, supporting local businesses and encouraging investment into the East Riding. It’s great to see the business support team exceed their targets and help support thriving communities in our region."
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