Areas bid to win cash – and help from retail guru

BEDMINSTER, Old Market and Church Road in St George are competing against each other for a slice of Government cash.

Each area has submitted bids and posted YouTube videos to become one of the 12 'Portas Pilot' areas to be announced in May, which will gain government funding and the support of retail guru Mary Portas to help revitalise their high streets.

The self-styled Queen of Shops was asked by the government last year to produce a report on how to revive Britain's struggling high streets. Last week they announced they had accepted "virtually all" of her 28 recommendations.

The Bedminster team, backed by Tobacco Factory owner George Ferguson and Labour councillor for Bedminster Mark Bradshaw, want to revitalise North Street, East Street and West Street and encourage independent traders to return to their empty shops.

Mr Ferguson, whose Tobacco Factory began a revival of independent traders at the top of North Street, said: "All the experience we have had in revitalising the top bit of North Street desperately needs to be used on the other bits of the area.

"East Street in particular has tremendous potential but desperately needs revitalising.

"Current market forces are desperately damaging to the high street. We are now getting total domination by the big four supermarkets and they are destroying independence and local jobs."

Mr Ferguson placed some of the blame at the council's door. "The council has been very weak in opposing the unrestrained growth of the big four supermarkets. They destroy more jobs than they create," he said.

Mr Bradshaw is backing the Bedminster bid. He said: "We had a place management pilot a few years ago, until the council scrapped it, so we know that managing the retail streets and co-ordinating effort makes a real difference."

The Old Market video bid shows a cyclist riding through the area, stopping to look at empty shops. In their bid they say they have the highest percentage of empty shops in Bristol and complain that restrictive parking measures in the area are stopping regeneration.

Church Road's video shows the large number of empty shops on what used to be a bustling high street 30 years ago.

They say a lack of choice for shoppers has become a big problem.

Last week, councillors passed all the recommendations suggested in a report into how to revive the city's high streets.

The report, presented by Mr Bradshaw, urged the council and cabinet to ensure Bristol high streets achieve the future envisaged by Mary Portas.

In her report, Ms Portas said: "I want to put the heart back into the centre of our high streets, reimagined as destinations for socialising, culture, health, wellbeing, creativity and learning. Places that will develop and sustain new and existing markets and businesses."

But with only £1 million to be shared amongst the 12 successful applicants, some think the government isn't doing enough to support embattled high streets against the competing forces of out-of-town retail centres and internet shopping.

Helen Dickinson, head of UK Retail at accountancy firm KPMG, has said the amount of money will not make the difference needed.

She said: "Given the scale of the challenges facing the modern high street, a share of £1 million will hardly scratch the surface. To give this pilot the best chance of success then the source and magnitude of proper funding must be addressed."

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