Last updated at 07:19, Friday, 23 March 2012

A plea has gone out via a new video for shopping guru Mary Portas to visit Maryport.

QUEEN OF SHOPS: Mary Portas

The four-minute movie was filmed around the town this week and can be viewed on the Times & Star website.

The video features Debbie Wright, Lisa Oglanby and Lyn Wood who have all owned businesses in the town.

They were joined by aquarium boss Mark Vollers, George Greenwood, who is considering going into business in Maryport, hairdresser Lyndsay Gradon, fisherman Gary Hampson, Celia Eddy, internationally-renowned quilter and Fleming Square resident and Times & Star reporter Vivienne Paterson.

The video is part of Maryport’s bid to be a Mary Portas pilot scheme, aimed at revamping rundown shopping streets.

The Government has pledged £1 million to be shared among 12 schemes which will be given advice from Ms Portas.

A traders’ meeting, organised by town centre manager Claire Driver, was held on Tuesday to rally support.

She said she was trying to create a phone app containing information about Maryport and events in the town.

Joe Broomfield, Maryport Townscape Heritage Initiative officer, has pen-ned the outline bid for Maryport to become a Portas pilot.

He said Annabell’s Tea Rooms in Senhouse Street and Her Citi in Crosby Street would become hubs of information.

Websites and social media like Facebook and Twitter would also be used.

Traders agreed that an essential part of any bid was to clean up the town centre. Chewing gum, dog fouling and cigarette butts are major issues.

l Reasons To Love Maryport is available to watch at www.timesandstar.co.uk

First published at 19:25, Thursday, 22 March 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk