Shrewsbury traders have been handed a boost during the recession after a retail group secured funding for a major TV advertising campaign.

Shop in the Loop says the £15,000 war chest will help pay for a campaign to promote the town to millions of viewers over Christmas.

John Hall, chairman of the group, who led the bid for the cash to the Shropshire Area Partnership, backed by Shropshire Council, today said it was a “huge boost” for traders who have been hit hard by the economic downturn.

News of the campaign comes after a successful promotion last year, funded through the now defunct Destination Shrewsbury, which saw 20 adverts being screened between November 10 and 21.

Mr Hall said: “This is great news for shops in Shrewsbury. We ran our first television advertising campaign last year and it worked extremely well for us and I’m delighted that the new council is backing us.”

The money will go towards Christmas promotion to support town centre shops.

Mr Hall said: “A vibrant town centre economy is vital to the future of Shrewsbury. Successful promotion of the town as a regional attraction for tourism, shopping and hospitality will maintain and generate employment and prosperity.

“In the present economic climate it is important to support the retail sector in Shrewsbury to enable its survival and put us in a strong position to benefit from the recovery. Shop in the Loop is working hard for the town and this funding has shown what we can achieve.”

Individual shops are being asked to contribute to the advertising budget in order to secure additional slots.