Orkney’s town centres receive cash boost

Orkney’s town centres have been given a £200,000 cash injection.

The Town Centre Fund — a fund set up in partnership between the Scottish Government and COSLA — will support councils to ensure high streets are more diverse, sustainable and successful in the face of changing and evolving retail patterns.

A fund of £50 million to help boost town centres throughout the country has been allocated, with Orkney Islands Council receiving a £200,000 share of the pot.

It is now up to the local authority on how best to utilise the cash against the themes of the Town Centre Action Plan.

Welcoming the news, Gavin Barr, the council’s director of development and infrastructure, said: “Our next step will be to consider how best to utilise this funding.

“Clearly we’ll be wanting to engage local communities in this from the outset. Our aim is to bring a report to councillors in the summer outlining how we’ll work with interested parties to make best use of the funding we have been allocated for Orkney.”