Art displays to brighten empty shops

Empty shop windows in Kidderminster could be given temporary displays to brighten up areas where units are waiting to be re-let.

Town centre manager Jackie Roberts hopes to persuade owners to allow in window dressers.

Miss Roberts said in a report to councillors that empty shops were still a major frustration" to both the public and tenants in the town centre, but that Kidderminster appeared to be bucking the trend for vacant premises.

With only 28 empty at present, the number of vacant shops is less than the national average.

To liven up areas with the most empty shops, such as Worcester Street, window dressers would make them looked "lived in".

Miss Roberts said: "This has been done in other towns. We would like to do this if we can get the permission of landlords with empty shops. To have a window display in empty properties would brighten things up and make everything seem brighter.

"Although we do have some empty shops we have fewer than the national average and are doing better than other parts of the Midlands."

Dressing windows in empty shops to make them look more attractive to shoppers has already successfully been introduced in some towns across the country.

Displays could include floral, ceramic or artwork arrangements.