The Council has submitted its bid to the Government’s £675 million Future High Streets Fund as it forges on with its ambition to reinvigorate Worksop’s Town Centre.

The Future High Streets Fund was created following a report by Sir John Timpson, a retailer and chair of the Town Centres Expert Panel, that called for more money to be granted to local authorities to rejuvenate their towns. Town Centres across the country have seen a decline in the retail sector, predominantly brought about due to a change in shopping habits and a major shift towards online shopping.

The Future High Streets Fund will be used by Councils, like Bassetlaw, to bring about transformational change and create more of a community hub in order to reduce the reliance on retail to ensure its high streets remain a vibrant and attractive place to visit.

“I am excited by our bid,” said Cllr Jo White, Cabinet Member for Economic Development at Bassetlaw District Council. “We have been asked to be dynamic and to think outside of the box in order for it to be considered.
I believe we have risen to this challenge, which is essential because we are seriously committed to turning around the future of Worksop town centre.

“The priority of the Council is to deliver growth and investment and we have identified a number of proposals that will help to bring about lasting change and address some of the challenges that Worksop is facing. “Quite simply, shopping habits have changed and like many other high streets up and down the country we are seeing the results of this with empty shops and major retailers like M&S abandoning Worksop in favour of larger cities.

“We want to make sure that Worksop does not get left behind and should our bid to the Future High Streets Fund be successful, we will strive to turn around Worksop’s fortunes and arrest a decline in the Town Centre.”
The Future High Streets Funding could be used to transform an area of Worksop Town Centre between Victoria Square and Newcastle Avenue.
This could include the regeneration of public spaces, efforts to improve the night-time economy with opportunities for additional bars and restaurants, in addition to more leisure and tourism attractions.

Investment and infrastructure would also be a focal point for the Council’s ambitions and would include a proposal to condense the retail offer of the high street, and link in with other Council projects such as the £2.3 million Townscape Heritage Scheme that is helping to bring some of Worksop’s most historic buildings back to their former glory.