Council chiefs are hoping to rid a Newcastle high street of its unwanted reputation as the UK’s worst.
Shields Road in Byker has been named multiple times as Britain’s least vibrant retail destination over recent years. But city bosses are hoping that a new regeneration programme can help the East End high street shed that damaging reputation.
Shields Road is one of five locations around Byker, Heaton, and Walker where Newcastle City Council is handing out grants to small businesses and community groups to help revitalise their area. A £2.8m pilot project was launched earlier this year in the hope of bringing empty shops back into use, funding new public art and green spaces, and staging local festivals and other community events.
