A TECHNOLOGY college in Canning Town is celebrating a �705,000 grant to fund education and business facilities.

Eastlea Community School in Exning Road, in partnership with social and regeneration charity East Potential, has been given London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (LTGDC) funding for a hospitality and catering suite, and enterprise cafe.

Chris Gibson, vice-principal at Eastlea, said: “Eastlea Community School is very excited about the LTGDC contribution to the school’s enterprise cafe and hospitality and catering suite.

“Working with partner East Potential to provide expertise and resources for small business start-ups will be an important contribution to local regeneration.

“Likewise LTGDC investment into our hospitality and catering facilities will add real value to what we do as a school in preparing young people to contribute to the local economy.”

The hospitality and catering suite is part of Eastlea’s �13.5 million Building Schools for the Future investment, which includes a refurbished technology building and dining hall.

The suite will include a commercial grade kitchen and teaching area for hospitality and catering diploma students and will be available for private functions.

Small businesses and start-ups without their own premises, as well as Eastlea’s Business Studies students and staff, will have access to the enterprise cafe, which is scheduled to open in May.

John Middleton, head of economic development at LTGDC, said: “We were delighted to be able to support Eastlea School with these two high quality vocational areas which we hope and expect will, in partnership with East Potential, help to ensure that small businesses thrive in the Canning Town area.”