Latest Portas Pilots announced
Morecambe and Lodge Lane in Liverpool are among the 15 Portas Pilot areas announced in the second wave of the high street initiative today.
Morecambe will get a new community café where advice and support will be available for people looking to set up businesses.
Young entrepreneurs in Lodge Lane, a busy suburban road between Toxteth and Edge Hill, will be offered a mentoring service to help them get started.
The other towns around the country in the second wave are: Ashford, Berwick, Braintree, Brighton, Hatfield, Royal Leamington Spa, Waterloo area of central London, Forest Hill in south London, Tower Hamlets, Loughborough, Lowestoft, Rotherham and Tiverton.
Each town will receive £100,000 to carry out its plans, following recommendations set out by government retail advisor Mary Portas. Hundreds of towns that bid but were not selected will be able to apply for a share of £5.5m reserved for further retail programmes.