PROPERTIES in the centre of a small Cumbrian town are being offered up to £1,000 to spruce up their frontages.

Aspatria will become the latest area to benefit from a government scheme, which aims to spruce up some of the buildings in the town centre during the summer months.

Properties facing the main street within the town centre area will be eligible to receive £1,000 from Cumberland council, which can be spent on paint and labour in an effort to make the area more attractive to locals and visitors. 

However, 10 per cent of any funding that is received must be matched by applicants.

It is hoped that work will be completed before October 2023, while applications for funding must be filled out before July 31 by any interested property owners.

Council leader Mark Fryer said: "[It will make] it attractive to shoppers and visitors alike and help to improve the appeal of this great town.

"This is a great scheme which has worked really well in other towns and shows how a small investment can make a huge difference."

The scheme, which is financed by the UK's shared prosperity fund, will also help to pay for any broken guttering, drain pipes, or outside lighting. 

The shared prosperity fund was launched by the government in April 2022 and promises £2.6 billion to local areas across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Communities and place, support for local businesses and people and skills are the three main areas which the scheme focuses on, with funding forecasted to continue until March 2025.

More details on how to apply can be found on Cumberland Council's website.