Michelle Donelan MP announces high street funding for Wiltshire

Wiltshire is set to receive one of the highest shares in the country of the new £56 million Welcome Back Fund, which is designed to boost our local high streets and prepare for the safe return of shoppers and tourists. 

The Welcome Back Fund is providing the funding to help local authorities boost tourism, improve green spaces and provide more outdoor seating areas, markets and food stall pop-ups, whilst also giving them the added ability to run publicity campaigns and prepare to hold events like street markets and festivals to support local businesses. 

Wiltshire is one of the first 70 councils benefiting from this targeted support by the Government’s High Streets Task Force, which will additionally be able to provide advice on how to adapt to meet changing consumer demands. The local authority is set to receive £449,858 in the Welcome Back Fund Allocations. 

Michelle Donelan MP said, “Having had the pleasure of visiting and talking to the shop owners and high street businesses of Melksham these last six years as your Member of Parliament, I know just how central they are to residents and I have put this directly to the Communities Secretary who has listened and put together a comprehensive package of measures to support the safe and successful reopening of our high streets. 

“We are now not only one of the first areas to receive this government funding, but we are set to receive one of the highest allocations of any local authority in the country. 

“With this funding, Wiltshire Council will be able to directly improve outdoor spaces and the added measure of giving pubs and restaurant flexibility on outdoor seating will be reinforced by a series of fairer parking measures, something I have campaigned on for years, which will ultimately encourage more people to return to the town centre and I am very much looking forward to meeting constituents and businesses in person once again.”