TRADERS will be at the forefront of any successful bid to secure the services of shopping guru Mary Portas, a council chief has pledged.

Support is being sought from a £1million Whitehall fund to help regenerate the main shopping centre of Rawtenstall.

And Coun Andrew MacNae, regeneration cabinet member, is adamant the scheme – to become a ‘Portas Pilot’ – will be mainly led by the business community itself.

An initial meeting, which included Rossendale MP Jake Berry, has taken place and been judged a success, with shopkeepers now waiting to hear if their bid will be selected.

Coun MacNae said: “There are some exciting ideas on the table to attract more customers into town and support the redevelopment of the Valley Centre site.

“It is great to see all the progress which is being made in Rawtenstall at the moment.”

No more than 10 locations will eventually be selected as a ‘pilot’, with Darwen and Nelson also vying for a nomination in East Lancashire.