Wyre launches town centre business support scheme

A new initiative has been launched to support retail businesses and boost Wyre's town centres.

Michael Ryan, corporate director with responsibility for economic development at Wyre Council, said: "Shop vacancy rates in all five of Wyre's town centres are consistently below the national and regional averages. This is due largely to the tenacity and determination of business owners in Wyre and partly to the strong identities and varied offers of our town centres.

"We're very proud of our widely successful business network Wyred Up which has helped to create economic stability in the borough. We now want to build on this with the launch of Get ReWyred, which has three different strands aimed at supporting individual retail businesses and collectively boosting our town centre economies."

This is complemented by a funding programme that offers grants of up to £600 to retailers who can match the amount awarded. Money is available for a wide range of projects, from website design to painting and decorating, if it can be demonstrated that they will significantly improve business.