New ‘Portas Pilots’ offered BRC support

In February the Government announced a £1.2 million pot of funding to enable 12 towns to try out some of the key recommendations from the Mary Portas Review on the high streets.

This week the Government has named a further 15 locations, including Ashford, Braintree, Liverpool, Morecambe and Tiverton, as part of the scheme aimed at reviving local high streets.

The BRC is now offering existing and new Pilots a free package of benefits for the initial 12-month period of their existence.

Included in the BRC’s package is access to its suite of retail-sector performance statistics and intelligence on the legislative agenda.

Director general of the British Retail Consortium 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 [businesses] 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.”