Member News
The British Retail Consortium has welcomed new funds for the government scheme to regenerate the High Street.
The Government has said it will share £5.5 million between the 27 successful bidders and 392 other town teams.
More than 400 towns made applications for funding and business support following a report by Mary Portas into the state of the High Street.
The towns will use the money to enact key recommendations from the Portas Review and bring together interested parties aiming to manage the revival of their local high streets.
The Government announced the first Pilot schemes in February.
The BRC is giving existing and new Pilots a free package of benefits for the initial 12-month period of their existence.
BRC Director General Stephen Robertson said:
"High streets are the heartbeat of our communities, providing jobs and services but many of them are seeing long-standing difficulties compounded by customers' current difficulties.
"The Pilots are a good start towards meaningful action which could help town centres turn their fortunes around. Announcing more Pilots will provide a wider platform of support for regeneration across England and we want to back that by pledging our own package of practical help to them at no cost.
"Offering the 27 access to our valuable business information will help them better manage and plan their activity, making it more likely they can deliver the revival we all want."
In her report Ms Portas said:
"My vision for the future of high streets is of multifunctional and social places which offer a clear and compelling purpose and experience that’s not available elsewhere, and which meets the interests and needs of the local people.
"We need to start a conversation about what we need and what we want our high streets to be."