Mary Portas to visit Nelson

TV's Queen of Shops, Mary Portas, will be making her first visit to Nelson, Lancashire, on Tuesday 29 January.

Nelson's Town Team won £100,000 through the government-sponsored high street initiative fronted by Portas in May 2012. The bid proposed ways of tackling empty properties and bringing more young people into the town.

Cllr Paul White, who leads on regeneration at Pendle Council, said: "She'll be hearing first hand how we're taking action to breathe new life into Nelson, using the Portas funding we won last year.

"This was the foundation for the successful bid, together with fantastic teamwork between shop keepers, the college, Pendle Council, Pendle Leisure Trust and other organisations."

The transformation includes a tree-lined boulevard and an amphitheatre for events.

Portas will be taking a tour of the town with members of the Town Team before taking part in a round table meeting to discuss new plans and ideas for Nelson.

Portas said: "We must focus efforts on creating lively and social places, especially for young people, to breathe new life into Nelson.

"It's about creating a place that people want to feel part of – a sense of community so that people feel proud to say they are from Nelson."

So far the Town Team have used the funding for a vintage arts and crafts market due to return in spring.

Cllr Nadeem Younis, who chairs Nelson's Area Committee, said: "Getting help and advice from national TV celebrities like Mary Portas makes a difference."