Local towns awarded £1m to attract investment

Close to £1 million has been awarded to 17 towns across Northern Ireland to help them attract shoppers and investors.

The Department for Social Development (DSD) supported project, which totals £862,000, will hope to benefit projects ranging from events and advertising campaigns to schemes to improve the attractiveness of town centres.

Social Development Minister David Hanson said: "Earlier this year my Department invited District Councils and Town Centre Managers to apply for grants for town centre promotion activity.

"I have been very impressed by the imaginative and innovative applications that have been submitted by towns of all sizes and in all parts of Northern Ireland.

"It is widely recognised that towns and cities which market themselves well are more attractive to local customers and better able to draw new visitors and investors.

"I congratulate all those who have been involved in putting together the successful applications and encourage them to continue their hard work to make their towns more appealing."

The successful towns are: Antrim, Armagh, Ballycastle, Ballymoney, Ballynahinch, Banbridge, Coleraine, Comber, Cookstown, Donaghadee, Dromore, Dungannon, Kilkeel, Larne, Lurgan, Omagh, and Portadown.

(MB/SP)