Pride in Our High Street celebrates decade of supporting local businesses

A report which will be presented to cabinet next week, Thursday 11 June, highlights how the programme remains committed to supporting the regeneration and revitalisation of high street businesses in each of the six Borough towns.

Pride in Our High Street has been a key pillar of Telford & Wrekin Council’s business support package over the last ten years and continues to be incredibly popular in the towns in which it is delivered.

The Council has invested £725,000 through the most recent programme to support business start-ups through the programme which has generated £2.46 million in private sector investment and created 440 jobs for local residents.

Telford and Wrekin continues to buck the trend for empty high street units which have been reduced from 9% to just 3.3% - well below the current UK national average which is 13%.

Since 2016, Pride in Our High Street has supported 75 new businesses with start-up grants and helped 58 new businesses access trial grants to test their business ideas. It has also delivered 47 shopfront improvements through facade grants and a further 91 through the earlier facade improvement scheme. To help businesses become more sustainable, and digitally-savvy, 9 eco grants and 27 digital grants have also been awarded.

The report also outlines the unique range of businesses supported, from retailers who were already based in Telford and Wrekin’s Borough towns, to businesses who have grown, expanded and are now flourishing.

As part of the Pride in Our High Street programme, High Street Heroes are recognised annually in each of the six Borough towns.

Up to 30 businesses receive awards and winners are voted for by residents and businesses based on the service they provide, the value they bring to their local high street and the extra mile they go to for their communities.

Voting for High Street Heroes 2026 is set to open later this summer with the winners announced in the run-up to Small Business Saturday at the start of December.

Councillor Ollie Vickers, Telford & Wrekin Council’s Cabinet Member for Jobs, Transport and Digital Connectivity, said: “We’re extremely proud of what we’ve achieved through the Pride in Our High Street programme over the last 10 years.

“Since 2016, we’ve seen a reduction in empty retail units, driven more footfall to our Borough towns and supported hundreds of businesses to help them access vital grant funding, as well as creating 440 jobs.

“Pride in Our High Street has helped businesses to grow and become more sustainable on the high street and we look forward to continuing to support many more businesses to ensure our high streets prosper.”

Following a recent visit to Oakengates, Andrew Goodacre, Chief Executive of the British Independent Retailers Association, was impressed with the ongoing work to support high street businesses and the low empty shop unit rate.

Mr Goodacre said: “As soon as arrived in Oakengates I could see that the town and high street was cared for and very community orientated.

“Bunting, great flowers and clean streets is all provided at no extra cost to the high street businesses based there as well as free parking, which is so rare these days, but very welcome.

“It’s great to see support so focused on supporting local, independent retailers.”