Gainsborough to share in £100k

The grant is separate to the Portas Pilot competition in which Gainsborough is competing for a pot of cash.

West Lindsey District Council is one of 100 UK councils to have been allocated £100,000 under the High Street Innovation Fund.

Town Centre Manager David Hawkins said it was given to those councils with the highest ratio of vacant commercial premises.

“It will be down to individual councils as to how they utilise this grant pot, but I understand it should be around bringing empty premises back into commercial use,” he said.

Mark Sturgess, director of regeneration and planning at WLDC said: “This is great news for West Lindsey. We hope this will help compliment the huge work that has already taken place in regenerating Gainsborough and the district as a whole.”

“The allocation of £100,000 has been awarded to a number of local authorities with the highest percentage of empty business properties.”

“We are delighted to be awarded this fund and we will continue to support two bids for the Portas Pilot Competition in Gainsborough and Market Rasen.”