Last updated at 13:02, Thursday, 26 July 2012

Towns across Cumbria will have to apply for individual funding after again facing the disappointment of not being selected for Mary Portas cash.

Fifteen areas have been announced as those chosen to benefit from £100,000 Portas pilot bid money but once again no bids from Cumbria were successful.

Carlisle, Wigton, Penrith, Maryport and Whitehaven all applied for the scheme, which aims to rejuvenate town centres.

Carlisle’s scheme would have used the money to support secondary shopping areas on the edge of the city such as Lowther Street, Crosby Street, Lonsdale Street and the top of Warwick Road.

Wigton’s team aimed to step up plans to improve shopfronts, address car parking charges and introduce specialist markets.

Maryport’s scheme centred on new signage and Penrith’s bid centred on extending free wifi, while Whitehaven’s team aimed to use a vacant retail unit as a community hub.

It is estimated there are now a record 23,046 empty shops in town centres in the UK.

First published at 11:28, Thursday, 26 July 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk