Town joins the race for £100k Portas funding

By Retford Times | Thursday, February 16, 2012, 06:50

FUNDING of up to £100,000 could be Retford's, if town businesses can convince the Government to invest in its retail infrastructure.

IN THE RUNNING: Carolgate could benefit if Retford is successful in becoming a town in the Government's Portas Pilots scheme.

Business owners will meet tomorrow to discuss how best to present the town, and even how to pitch for the cash via YouTube.

They will be bidding to become a town in the Government's Portas Pilots scheme, which will support 12 towns' retail sectors with funds of up to £100,000 each.

To secure the funds, Retford's bid will have to show an "articulate" vision for how to improve the town, as well as submit a YouTube video detailing their ideas.

Louise Copcutt, chairman of the Retford Business Forum, which first drafted plans for the bid, said Retford's strength lay in its number of independent stores.

"Because a lot of chains are going bust, a lot of towns are going to have empty shops, but Retford has a lot of independent stores," she said.

"So with a bit of luck we're not going to have huge gaping holes in the high street because we're not subjected to the vagaries of chain stores."

The scheme follows a national review of Britain's retail sector by industry guru Mary Portas, which suggested ways towns could adapt to changing conditions.

Some of the targets for towns have already been met in Retford, such as a town team, which has taken the form of the Retford Business Forum.

Retford's bid already has the backing of Bassetlaw Council and is awaiting a response from MP John Mann. Plans drawn from the meeting will be put to Retford Business Forum, ahead of the submission deadline of March 30.

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Comments

Liking your ideas Ian. :)

By SuzannahAtkey at 17:36 on 24/02/12
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This is one of the reasons I have asked the council to consult on moving the market back up Carolgate. I would love to see the Market Square look like a continental food court, and the businesses around it would too.

But I am up against a fair bit of resistance and need the support of local people to make this happen.

Retford has allot of history and is proud of it's history, but when a Market is dying on its feet and needs to change, we should forget that history and do what is needed to save the Market and increase revenue in the local economy.

Makes sense to me, and after doing a mini consultation myself, it is what the majority of the people in business want too.

By CouncillorIan at 08:57 on 24/02/12
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Like in Italy! Bring it on! Loving the whole cultural lifestyle of vibrant markets lots of stalls and alfresco cafe's maybe that's what Retford needs?!

By SuzannahAtkey at 12:04 on 23/02/12
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Could businesses enhance the area, make it more alfresco? utilise the market square, make the market more social and intimate (as when the stalls were hosted outside the shops - it forced people to be more social with each other). And what about re-investment of some profits back in to the look and feel of the area. Obviously wages for local employees (and dare I say bonuses for them too) are important, but if we have multi-national or large corporate entities in town - they should re-invest locally; in more than wage-slave jobs.

By Wizz1976 at 11:39 on 23/02/12
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