She is the Queen of Shops, soon to reign over Wolverhampton’s fortunes. ELIZABETH JOYCE looks at Mary Portas’ plan for the city

Wolverhampton today became one of 12 areas across the country to win £100,000 of investment and support from retail guru Mary Portas – but all other Black Country towns lost out.

Rival bidders today said they were bitterly disappointed at losing out in the Portas Pilot scheme, although regeneration bosses at Walsall and Dudley remained determined to plough ahead with plans.

More than 90 per cent of first class mail in the Midlands was delivered the next working day, according to new figures. Royal Mail exceeded its first class delivery targets in most parts of the region.

Work to replace Walsall Arboretum’s historic lido will not be completed in time for the start of the summer holidays after being hit by delays.

Scrap yards across Walsall were targeted by police during a crackdown on metal thefts with steel rail tracks, a stolen Audi, telephone cables and a metal milk cage seized.

Private operators are in talks with highway chiefs at the council over plans for an overhaul of Walsall town centre car parks, including a new multi-storey. They will look at changing locations of some spaces.

Tenants of Walsall’s biggest housing association face a rent increase. All Walsall Housing Group tenants will see their rent demand go up.

MORE than £280,000 was generated from council-run markets in Walsall over the last 12 months, new figures reveal today.

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