Healthy support for town’s high streets

The ‘Healthy High Streets’ programme will provide intensive support for 100 high streets in the United Kingdom over a three year period through access to business expertise and resource to help selected high streets realise their potential.

Ballymena has been accepted on to the programmee along with Belfast and Newry, the latest meeting of Mid & East Antrim Council’s Economic Growth and Development Committee was told, last week.

They were also informed that, overall, the programme will support Ballymena town centre to “increase footfall, reduce empty property units and create jobs over the three year period”.

The Committee went on to accept an officer recommendation that Council support the Healthy High Street scheme as the local authority partner working with the BID group, business community and shopping centres.

It was pointed, however, that “the success of the programme will come down to the engagement of all relevant partners to add value and expertise to the strong framework that currently exists”.