Rochdale gets £50,000 empty shop revival grant

Rochdale is to get more than £50,000 from the Government as it is one of the areas hit hardest by the recession.

Communities Secretary John Denham wants the town to find creative ways to reduce the negative impact empty shops are having on its high street.

Many shops in the town centre are boarded up because of the downturn, which the Government believes is impacting on consumer and business confidence.

The Council will be able to use as they see fit on ideas to boost the town centre and transform empty shops into something useful, such as a meeting place, a learning centre or a showroom for local artists.

The grants are part of a wider package of real help the Government has put in place for town centres, including a new practical guide launched in April to help high streets combat the recession.

John Denham said: “We know that the downturn has really hurt high streets in areas of high deprivation across the North West of England. These grants will help to transform and reopen empty shops as part of our real help to keep town centres vibrant and combat the recession.

“Those councils will now be able to use our funding to come up with their own creative ideas to transform their boarded up shops into something useful like a learning centre, meeting place for local people or showroom for local artists.

"There is no need to see unused shops on our high streets going to waste, especially when we know that it doesn’t take a lot to turn a vacant shop into something beneficial for the community.

"The top tips and new support in our town centre revival guide are already helping small businesses during this difficult time. Together these steps will help high streets continue to be vibrant places that remain at the heart of the community throughout the downturn."