By Alan Irving

Last updated at 11:39, Thursday, 19 April 2012

CLEATOR Moor is going full steam ahead with its aim to breathe new life into the town by making a bid for Mary Portas status.

working together: Chamber chairman Dave Farrell addresses the Mary Portas meeting in Cleator Moor Civic Hall

The first positive steps were taken at a meeting in the Civic Hall on Tuesday, when town centre businesses gave their backing.

It was agreed to reform Cleator Moor Chamber of Trade as the stepping stone to the formation of a Town Team to spearhead a bid for the next round of Mary Portas applications.

Dave Farrell, of Farrell Sports, and Martin Slatter, of Graphskill, were appointed Chamber of Trade chairman and secretary respectively.

Mr Farrell said yesterday: “It was a successful meeting, about two dozen business people attended along with town and borough councillors who are also keen to support a bid and get involved.

“There is a lot of enthusiasm all round, everyone felt it was time to grasp the nettle by doing something like this to regenerate our town.”

Whitehaven has already set the ball rolling by making a Mary Portas bid in this year’s pilot applications.

The Town Team hopes to hear soon whether it will be selected as one of 12 successful towns who will gain initial Mary Portas status, bringing with it a £100,000 price to aid high street transformation. The deadline for the second tranche of applications is June 30.

Round two carries bigger financial incentives. On top of another £1 million share out across the country an extra £1 million will be distributed between locations showing the most creative and effective revival schemes.

First published at 11:10, Thursday, 19 April 2012
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk