Empty shops in Wolverhampton could be taken over and turned into art exhibitions and displays following claims they are making the city look rundown.

It comes after it was revealed there were more than 100 shop units and 250,000sq ft of empty space in the city centre following the closure of dozens of well-known stores including Woolworths, Oasis and Dorothy Perkins.

Wolverhampton City Centre Company, which was set up in 2003 in a bid to transform the face of the city, is spearheading an initiative to breathe life into empty shop units to stop it looking like a “ghost town”.

Bosses at the city’s Art Gallery, university and college are among the companies planning to set up fashion and art displays inside the vacant units.

Kim Gilmour, Wolverhampton City Centre Manager, said: “Vacant units signal decline and can become hotspots for fly posting and anti social behaviour.”

She said bosses are trying to secure a grant to get the project off the ground.

Wolverhampton Art Gallery has come forward to stage a window display in conjunction with the city’s university. Wolverhampton College is hoping to stage an exhibition of work by its arts and media students.