Leighton Buzzard businesses at front of the queue for shop revamp scheme

Gennaro Borrelli, chairman of independent traders group LB First, and owner of A Touch Of Class in Bridge Street

The shops, which include A Touch Of Class, Shan Shui and Smile Dentist were offered 60% grant funding from CBC under its High Street Improvement Scheme.

The offer was made across Central Beds, but the contractor BRAC and the CBC project team say work will be getting underway in Leighton Buzzard first, during March.

Gennaro Borrelli, chairman of independent traders’ group LB First, and owner of A Touch Of Class in Bridge Street, is delighted to have signed up for the scheme.

He said: “It will mean a complete new shop front, new window, new front door, new painting and signage, and an illuminate sign and should be done in the next week or two.

“It’s a really good scheme, part of the CBC regeneration scheme. It’s good that Leighton Buzzard has had the highest take

-up of all towns in Central Beds.”

He added: “It’s 60% grant and 40% from the business, and they provide the architect, advice and planning permission.

“We are in one of the main gateways into the town centre. Smartening it up can only be good to attract new business and making it more aesthetically pleasing. It will show we have a smart town centre, well maintained.”