Nelson earns Mary Portas cash

Nelson will now have £100,000 to invest in revamping its shopping centre following a successful application to the Mary Portas Pilot, which launched earlier this year.

The programme is backed by the government who used the TV star, known for her work reviving ailing retail establishments, to investigate the poor state of Britain’s high street and make recommendations on improving matters.

The fund had £1.2m to distribute between twelve towns, and received more than 370 bids from throughout the UK.

Nelson’s money will be invested in tackling the high number of empty shops in the Victory Centre and attracting a younger generation of shopper to the town.

Pendle Council’s town centres officer Hanna Latty said the money will be spent on helping local students and young entrepreneurs to set up temporary businesses, establishing a café with healthy food and free Wi-Fi, commissioning works from local artists, and providing retail sites with relaxed licences and agreements.