Newport town centre is being given a boost from the Isle Of Wight Lottery’s business support fund. Newport Parish Council has match-funded a £2,000 grant from the Isle of Wight Lottery and the £4,000 total fund will partially be invested in new signage, starting with an information board for Holyrood Street. The Isle Of Wight Lottery’s contribution is being funded by the newly launched IW Lottery scratchcards which went on sale at the beginning of April. The grant to Newport Parish Council follows a similar £2,000 award to Shanklin Town Council.
Kevin Smith, the Chief Executive of the IW Chamber Of Commerce said:
“Newport is the county town and it is very important for the Chamber to be working with Newport Parish Council and the Newport business community. We want to maximise the opportunities for businesses in Newport and we’re working with the Newport community to develop a ‘Town Centre Development Framework’ that will also inform our work in supporting town centres across the Isle of Wight.”
Steve Smith, Chair of Newport Business Association added:
“In these continued times of austerity it’s fundamental that all the key stakeholders work together in order to further improve the Island’s economy. This IW Lottery grant is an amazing gesture, matched by Newport Parish Council, that will go towards a well-needed signage scheme in Newport. This will help improve the aesthetic appearance of Newport and further improve the public realm, an area the Chamber and the Newport Business Association both acknowledge as the foundation of any high street. This grant will kick-start the recovery of Newport and establish a blue-print that can be replicated across the Island.”
Julie Jones-Evans, Chair of Newport Parish Council commented:
“I have long been campaigning for our county town to be decluttered, creating a more welcoming environment for visitors and residents. We need to strike a balance on the amount of street furniture, appropriate advertising and safe passage for pedestrians. The project I am working on will provide an information board at the top of Holyrood Street. This will display local information and advertising for local businesses, including those in Lugley St, Crocker St and Watchbell Lane. I believe this will be more effective and safer than the current collection of “A” boards.
“The next stage will be a similar information board in the vicinity of Scarrots Lane, designed to increase footfall to some great small independent business in Newport. This in turn gives shoppers more choice as they discover new areas of Newport to explore. This boost from the IW Chamber of Commerce means our Scarrots Lane board can come to fruition more quickly. I extend my thanks and would encourage people to support the new scratchcards, as profits are being reinvested directly into our Island communities.”
The Isle Of Wight Lottery has been supporting the Island economy since 2001 and has created and supported hundreds of jobs in the local economy, providing over £700,000 of interest free loans to Island businesses. The Isle Of Wight Lottery Scratchcards offer a new, instant way to play, with prizes of up to £1000, with a 1 in 5 chance of winning. They are the only scratchcards where all the money stays on the Island and supports the local economy.
From left: Steve Smith, Chair of Newport Business Association, Julie Jones-Evans, Chairman of Newport Parish Council and Kevin Smith, IW Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive.
