‘Portas Plus’ plans to boost high streets

The Government has announced that it has accepted ‘virtually all’ 28 recommendations from Mary Portas in its bid to rejuvenate UK high streets and will be kick starting the ‘Portas Plus’ with a pledge of £10m to the High Street Innovation Fund.

On the back of the Portas review published in December, the Government hopes that the multimillion-pound funding package will breathe new life into Britain’s ailing high streets. Housing Minister Grant Shapps, who was allocated a town centre remit last year, said that the fund would help return empty shops to use, will award money to locations delivering the most ‘creative and effective revitalisation’ projects, as well launch a National Markets Day to encourage entrepreneurs.

In addition, there will be a £500,000 fund for Business Improvement Districts, which has been put in place to invest in town centres by giving them access to loans. There is also a £1m Future High Street fund to be awarded to towns that deliver the most effective rejuvenation schemes in a year's time.

Mr Shapps said: "Today I'm accepting virtually all of the recommendations from Mary Portas's review but I'm also going that one step further, offering a 'Portas Plus' deal with a range of measures designed to help local people turn their high streets into the beating hearts of their communities once again.

"Her report has provided the catalyst for change that many towns have been craving. I now want to see people coming together to form their own town teams and turning their creative ideas into reality to ensure their high streets thrive long into the future."

Mary Portas added: "I've been thrilled by the response of people, town teams and communities up and down the country who have seized this opportunity to come together and form their own ideas.

"I'm pleased that the response from Grant Shapps today is designed to build on this momentum and give local people the tools they need to turn their creative ideas into reality, along with extra money to bring empty shops back into use.”

Today is the deadline for towns to apply to be part of the first round of Portas Pilots, which has already seen more than 100 applicants. Shapps also announced that due to the response to be part of the scheme a further round of Portas Pilots has been planned.