Grant set to boost Market Drayton town centre regeneration

With the main focus on the High Street and surrounding retail area, the aim is to make this hard-working market town more attractive and welcoming to local people and visitors. There are a number of vacant premises within the town centre conservation area, and this grant scheme will be available to improve buildings and bring them back into use.

The scheme will be led by Market Drayton Town Council, supported by Shropshire Council’s Market Towns Revitalisation Programme (MTRP) team and Black Country Skills Retail.

Peter Wilson, Shropshire Council’s business support officer and lead officer of the MTRP team in Market Drayton, is keen to talk to and support anyone interested in the scheme, and will be able to offer additional support to some existing and new businesses.

Peter was keen to acknowledge the recent encouraging news of a number of new businesses in the town centre including a new toy shop, specialist clothes shop and especially ‘Tiny Tots’ selling baby clothes and accessories.

Peter Wilson said:

“In addition to encouraging new business into the vacant premises, we will be looking to encourage more office space and rental accommodation above the shops so that people can live and work in the heart of the town.”

Roger Hughes, a Shropshire Councillor for Market Drayton West and project lead, said:

“The recent negative press, decline of High Street and number of vacant premises need to be addressed. This project is aimed at helping revitalise those properties and bringing them back into use. It is very gratifying that having worked hard with Peter Wilson and funding advisor Fiona Fortune over the past 12 months we are now able to proceed. We have been working closely with partner agencies to ensure Market Drayton addresses the challenges which our retailers face.

“We are working hard to make available ongoing business support and training to support our traders, we are currently piloting a national retail mentoring scheme, and hope to be able to offer further training and apprenticeship opportunities in the near future.”

There is further positive news that agreement has been reached to provide a number of affordable retail starter units in 27 Cheshire Street and 29 Cheshire Street. For further information, please email towncentrephoenix@btinternet.com.

Councillor Mike Owen, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for economic growth and prosperity, said:

“This funding aims to provide an immediate boost to those areas affected by the economic downturn, and to contribute to the long term economic revitalisation of our market towns.”