Prescot town team secures Portas link up (From St Helens Star)

Prescot town team secures Mary Portas link up

5:56pm Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in News

A MASTERPLAN to revitalise Prescot town centre has been given a boost by an official link up with retail guru Mary Portas.

The ‘Town Team’ working on revamping its fortunes was made an official Portas Pilot Town Team Partner.

Retailers will benefit from a support package created as part of Portas’s national review into the future of the high street.

They will also receive a £10,000 grant to kick-start plans to boost trade in the old market town.

Prescot’s Town Team, includes retailers, landlords and representatives from Knowsley Council, Prescot Town Council and the Knowsley Chamber of Commerce.

Funding will support more advertising and marketing of town centre businesses and trial a shuttle bus to link the town centre and Cables Retail Park on market days.

There will also be an improved package of events and a promotional newsletter advertising local shops and offers and encouraging people to ‘buy local’.

And retailers in the town centre will benefit from customer service training to enhance their own offer and build on the town’s reputation as a unique shopping destination.

Cllr Dave Lonergan, cabinet member for regeneration, economy and skills at Knowsley Council, said: “These are tough times for the British High Street, as Mary Portas herself has recognised.

“But Prescot is a lovely, traditional market town with a rich heritage. Most importantly, perhaps, everyone involved with Prescot Town Centre has bags of enthusiasm and passion to help the town weather these tough times and come out stronger.”

The council is awaiting the outcome of a bid to the heritage lottery fund for £1.89m to support conservation in the town centre.