Portadown is ready to take the high road thanks to the town centre being shortlisted as a finalist in the prestigious Great British High Street Awards, which aim to highlight examples of high street excellence and success in overcoming the challenges of a rapidly changing environment.
The town centre is one of 38 shortlisted finalists from across the UK and is now in the running to win up to £10,000 for the local community and also offers the opportunity for local businesses and consumers to participate in a Visa Great British High Street Spend & Win Competition.
Judging will take place in October with regional winners from England, Scotland, Wales, and for the first time Northern Ireland, announced at a special awards ceremony in London in November, with one overall winner named the UK’s Best High Street.
Pristine Portadown town centre has been selected in the Champion Award category, which focuses on the best high streets and is judged on four aspects of success: Community, Customer Experience, Environment and Digital Transformation.
Read more: Armagh shortlisted as finalist with potential to be named ‘UK’s Best High Street’
The thriving town centre offers a warm welcome providing excellent retail opportunities as well as acting as the hub for a host of community events including the ever-popular annual Twilight Markets and Country Comes to Town events. Local businesses have also been able to partake in Digital Retail workshops helping them develop their online presence.
A number of regeneration and economic development schemes have allowed the town centre to flourish and maintain a reputation as an immaculate, inviting shared space which instils a sense of civic pride from all corners of the community.
Whist a team of independent judges will be visiting each location the public are also being asked to share in promoting their pride for Portadown as 30% of the overall judging score will be made up from a social media vote.
To show your support simply take to social media and post on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, using #MYHIGHSTREET and #GBHSPortadown. Links for submitting your social media posts can also be found on the GBHS website here. All posts will then be and added to the overall score for Portadown.
In the run up to the finals the Visa Great British High Street Team will be visiting Portadown town centre offering a host of activities and giveaways helping to highlight the campaign to crown the town the best in the UK.
