Surprise Mary Portas cash boost for Market Drayton revival
A group in north Shropshire that failed this year to win cash from a Government high street revival scheme led by retail guru Mary Portas has been handed an unexpected £10,000 boost from the fund.
Market Drayton Community Partnership was given the money by the Government after the town missed out on being one of 12 UK towns to win a share of £1 million under the Portas Pilot scheme and expert help from TV's Mary Queen of Shops.
Dr Richard Priestly, chairman of the Community Partnership, said the surprise grant will go towards rejuvenating the area.
"We have been handed £10,000 by the government fund associated with the Portas Pilot bid," he said.
Dr Priestly said the cash will be given to the Town Team, a group of volunteers, who will work on two projects.
"It will go towards plans for a town trail and the redevelopment of the old video shop in Cheshire Street for new businesses," he said. "The money will be split 50/50."
Shropshire Council will be the handling agent for the money which was given to Market Drayton on the condition that its local MP signs up to the Town Team.
"North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson has signed up to the team as he has done for a number of areas across Shropshire," Dr Priestly added. "He said he is fully behind our team and I will meet with him in a week to go through the plans."
Dr Priestly said that part of the money will be used to support the work Shropshire Council is doing to develop small 'incubator' units for start-up businesses.
He said the town trail will take the form of a brochure that includes various historic sights. It is a separate project to a trail being organised by the local art group Creative Drayton.
"It is in the very early stages though," he said. "People are very actively working on that now and I would hope it will be up in a matter of months.
"We would like to see this plan and the project by Creative Drayton fused. We can incorporate the two ideas."
