Exciting news for Todmorden as it is shortlisted for a Great British High Street Award

Business Network Todconnect nominated the town for the Great British High Street Rising Star award, which is for towns that are making improvements both for the community and the high street environment.

Burnley Road is one of 12 UK streets to be shortlisted and will join destinations like Ayr, Cardigan and Northwich in the battle for the award.

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Now the hard work really begins and Todconnect along with local schools, businesses and community groups will be working together on their various projects ahead of the judges visit next month.

Angela Richards, of Todconnect, said: “We are really excited, it’s all systems go now. We’re now telling everyone to get involved and we will be having lots of meetings ahead of the judges visit around what the plans are.

“There’s so much on Burnley Road, got shops, park, market, businesses and we are trying to get them involved.”

The bid is an initiative to improve the area, under the banner Our Planet Tod, and is mainly based around regeneration, from tidying up the streets with litter picks to encouraging better recycling bins on the streets.

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“Our initiative is multi prong, it’s mostly a community initiative,” said Angela.

“It’s more about the well being of the community and it coming together to help itself and holding together throughout tough times.

"It’s not all about getting this award, we will carry on if we win or not, it’s about bringing the community together.”

The bid by Todconnect followed research commissioned by Visa, sponsor of the 2018 Great British High Street Awards, which revealed promising signs of renewed confidence in the country’s high streets despite a challenging retail environment.

High Streets Minister Jake Berry MP said: “Congratulations to Burnley Road on being shortlisted as one of the UK’s most ambitious high streets in this year’s Great British High Street Awards.

“The awards celebrate the great work that is being done to revive, adapt and diversify the nation’s high streets and the quality of entries this year has been outstanding.

“Over the next six weeks Burnley Road has the chance to impress an expert judging panel as they also battle it out in a public vote for the title of Britain’s best high street. This is a great opportunity to show your support for the hard work going on in Todmorden so get voting!”

The judges thoughts will make up 70 per cent of the vote, but it is important for the local community to get behind the town by voting on the internet and through social media.

Show your support by using the hashtag #MYHIGHSTREET and #GBHSTodmorden on Facebook and Twitter.

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