Nelson shopping centre gets cash boost from Mary Portas

11:25am Tuesday 22nd May 2012 in Pendle Photograph of the Author By Tyrone Marshall, Reporter

BOOST Victory Centre in Nelson BOOST Victory Centre in Nelson

EMPTY shops in the Victory Centre in Nelson are to be targeted at young entrepreneurs.

Pendle Council is to spend some of its £100,000 funding from the Mary Portas pilot to try to fill up the empty building.

The parade was opened in 1993 but retailers have deserted it in recent years, with the Post Office and Argos moving out in the past two years.

Now all that remains is a bookmakers and an Asian fashion store, of more than a dozen units.

Hanna Latty, Pendle Council’s town centres officer, said: “Through the Portas pilot process, we have managed to secure commitment from Blackcrown Properties Limited, who own The Victory Centre in Nelson, and the centre’s managing agent, Conway Relf.

Blackcrown and Conway Relf are open to negotiation in terms of attracting affordable, short-term lettings and are supportive of any improvement projects which aim to generate higher footfall in the town centre.”

As well as trying to get young entrepreuners in, the centre will also be used to attract artists who can use units on a short-term lease to display their work.

Hanna Latty said: “We will target Victory Centre lettings at young entrepreneurs and artists to introduce new and diverse uses to attract footfall.

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“The pilot would help us offer low-cost premises with easy in/easy out licences, professional business support, materials and assistance with marketing.

“Two of the empty units will be dedicated to 3-month artist commissions ensuring they create exciting projects which generate high footfall.

“These commissions will act as ‘anchor’ projects to attract lettings in our low-cost units.”

Comments (7)

1:16pm Tue 22 May 12

2 for 5p says...

Time t move on I think it will be 100 grand down the drain.
If there was money to be made some business man would be there already making it.
Town centres are dying for a reason :internet ,supermarkets ,out of towm n retail parks ,ect.
People are not going to pay more when they don't have to.
Time t move on I think it will be 100 grand down the drain. If there was money to be made some business man would be there already making it. Town centres are dying for a reason :internet ,supermarkets ,out of towm n retail parks ,ect. People are not going to pay more when they don't have to. 2 for 5p

1:17pm Tue 22 May 12

Kevin, Colne says...

I wish this initiative well but it has to be said that Nelson town centre has had more ‘kick-starts’ than a Harley-Davidson.

Given that over the years millions of Pounds have been poured into the centre the idea that another £100,000 is going to do the trick suggests to me that once gain a collision between hope and economic reality is just around the corner.

Anyone that enters into independent retailing in the face of the worst economic and financial crisis in a century when the purchasing power of consumers is dropping like a stone deserves a medal.

The mainstream commentariat are still peddling the line that there is a need to get consumers ‘spending again’. I do not know what is happening in the households of other LT readers but I can tell you that in our household we’re having no trouble spending; the difficulty we have is earning money and getting sufficient product and service for the money that we spend.

Today there is great jubilation among the media elite as the index of inflation has fallen. In truth what this means is that we are still getting poorer, but at a slightly slower rate.
I wish this initiative well but it has to be said that Nelson town centre has had more ‘kick-starts’ than a Harley-Davidson. Given that over the years millions of Pounds have been poured into the centre the idea that another £100,000 is going to do the trick suggests to me that once gain a collision between hope and economic reality is just around the corner. Anyone that enters into independent retailing in the face of the worst economic and financial crisis in a century when the purchasing power of consumers is dropping like a stone deserves a medal. The mainstream commentariat are still peddling the line that there is a need to get consumers ‘spending again’. I do not know what is happening in the households of other LT readers but I can tell you that in our household we’re having no trouble spending; the difficulty we have is earning money and getting sufficient product and service for the money that we spend. Today there is great jubilation among the media elite as the index of inflation has fallen. In truth what this means is that we are still getting poorer, but at a slightly slower rate. Kevin, Colne

1:22pm Tue 22 May 12

ROBERTSLUMDWELLER123 says...

great!! so when the shops in Pendle rise see how much your gonna charge rates/rents for these units then thier gonna want the same deals,or want to move there???? Rob Peter to Pay Paul springs to mind,,
great!! so when the shops in Pendle rise see how much your gonna charge rates/rents for these units then thier gonna want the same deals,or want to move there???? Rob Peter to Pay Paul springs to mind,, ROBERTSLUMDWELLER123

2:21pm Tue 22 May 12

darwenTower says...

""Given that over the years millions of Pounds have been poured into the centre the idea that another £100,000 is going to do the trick suggests to me that once gain a collision between hope and economic reality is just around the corner.""

I hate to be a cynic but what will happen is that there area will have a little bit of a boom, while the TV are all over it. Victory will be claimed but then the area will fall on it's backside again.

""Town centres are dying for a reason :internet ,supermarkets ,out of towm n retail parks ,ect.
People are not going to pay more when they don't have to.""

Yep. I do wonder though, what will happen when there is only Tesco, Amazon and a couple of other massive money hungry companies supplying us with everything we need. In the long run i'm pretty sure we'd be better off paying a bit more for stuff. Just look at the oil and fuel industries.
""Given that over the years millions of Pounds have been poured into the centre the idea that another £100,000 is going to do the trick suggests to me that once gain a collision between hope and economic reality is just around the corner."" I hate to be a cynic but what will happen is that there area will have a little bit of a boom, while the TV are all over it. Victory will be claimed but then the area will fall on it's backside again. ""Town centres are dying for a reason :internet ,supermarkets ,out of towm n retail parks ,ect. People are not going to pay more when they don't have to."" Yep. I do wonder though, what will happen when there is only Tesco, Amazon and a couple of other massive money hungry companies supplying us with everything we need. In the long run i'm pretty sure we'd be better off paying a bit more for stuff. Just look at the oil and fuel industries. darwenTower

4:38pm Tue 22 May 12

Izanears says...

Kevin, Colne wrote:
I wish this initiative well but it has to be said that Nelson town centre has had more ‘kick-starts’ than a Harley-Davidson.

Given that over the years millions of Pounds have been poured into the centre the idea that another £100,000 is going to do the trick suggests to me that once gain a collision between hope and economic reality is just around the corner.

Anyone that enters into independent retailing in the face of the worst economic and financial crisis in a century when the purchasing power of consumers is dropping like a stone deserves a medal.

The mainstream commentariat are still peddling the line that there is a need to get consumers ‘spending again’. I do not know what is happening in the households of other LT readers but I can tell you that in our household we’re having no trouble spending; the difficulty we have is earning money and getting sufficient product and service for the money that we spend.

Today there is great jubilation among the media elite as the index of inflation has fallen. In truth what this means is that we are still getting poorer, but at a slightly slower rate.
I can't agree more Kevin. When I saw the article, I thought OMG, not another arts thingy.
[quote][p][bold]Kevin, Colne[/bold] wrote: I wish this initiative well but it has to be said that Nelson town centre has had more ‘kick-starts’ than a Harley-Davidson. Given that over the years millions of Pounds have been poured into the centre the idea that another £100,000 is going to do the trick suggests to me that once gain a collision between hope and economic reality is just around the corner. Anyone that enters into independent retailing in the face of the worst economic and financial crisis in a century when the purchasing power of consumers is dropping like a stone deserves a medal. The mainstream commentariat are still peddling the line that there is a need to get consumers ‘spending again’. I do not know what is happening in the households of other LT readers but I can tell you that in our household we’re having no trouble spending; the difficulty we have is earning money and getting sufficient product and service for the money that we spend. Today there is great jubilation among the media elite as the index of inflation has fallen. In truth what this means is that we are still getting poorer, but at a slightly slower rate.[/p][/quote]I can't agree more Kevin. When I saw the article, I thought OMG, not another arts thingy. Izanears

9:04am Wed 23 May 12

everywhere is sh1t says...

the internet is killing shops why pay high street prices when you can buy online for a lot cheaper and get it delivered,i know nelson now looks alot cleaner but it still looks rough
the internet is killing shops why pay high street prices when you can buy online for a lot cheaper and get it delivered,i know nelson now looks alot cleaner but it still looks rough everywhere is sh1t

4:18pm Fri 25 May 12

ROBERTSLUMDWELLER123 says...

darwenTower wrote:
""Given that over the years millions of Pounds have been poured into the centre the idea that another £100,000 is going to do the trick suggests to me that once gain a collision between hope and economic reality is just around the corner.""

I hate to be a cynic but what will happen is that there area will have a little bit of a boom, while the TV are all over it. Victory will be claimed but then the area will fall on it's backside again.

""Town centres are dying for a reason :internet ,supermarkets ,out of towm n retail parks ,ect.
People are not going to pay more when they don't have to.""

Yep. I do wonder though, what will happen when there is only Tesco, Amazon and a couple of other massive money hungry companies supplying us with everything we need. In the long run i'm pretty sure we'd be better off paying a bit more for stuff. Just look at the oil and fuel industries.
millions have been spent making it nice and pretty round the town hall area!!not the town centre unless you class the rd to nowhere,an improvement??and a rusty lump of iron,,
[quote][p][bold]darwenTower[/bold] wrote: ""Given that over the years millions of Pounds have been poured into the centre the idea that another £100,000 is going to do the trick suggests to me that once gain a collision between hope and economic reality is just around the corner."" I hate to be a cynic but what will happen is that there area will have a little bit of a boom, while the TV are all over it. Victory will be claimed but then the area will fall on it's backside again. ""Town centres are dying for a reason :internet ,supermarkets ,out of towm n retail parks ,ect. People are not going to pay more when they don't have to."" Yep. I do wonder though, what will happen when there is only Tesco, Amazon and a couple of other massive money hungry companies supplying us with everything we need. In the long run i'm pretty sure we'd be better off paying a bit more for stuff. Just look at the oil and fuel industries.[/p][/quote]millions have been spent making it nice and pretty round the town hall area!!not the town centre unless you class the rd to nowhere,an improvement??and a rusty lump of iron,, ROBERTSLUMDWELLER123

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