Town's high street can scoop £15k

TURRIFF High Street is in the running to scoop £15,000 after being shortlisted in this year's Great British High Street Awards 2018.

It is competing in the champion category of the awards, which aims to find the UK's best high street.

After a rigorous selection process, Turriff's main street was chosen by an independent judging panel as one of 26 streets in with a chance of winning.

The shortlisted high streets will now battle it out in a public vote, which accounts for 30 per cent of the final scoring, and will then have the chance to impress an expert judging panel as they seek to be crowned Britain's best.

Those interested in participating in the public vote can visit www.thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk for more information.

The winning entries for both the champion and rising star categories will be announced on November 15 at an awards ceremony in London.

The bid by Turriff Business Association followed research commissioned by Visa, sponsor of the 2018 Great British High Street Awards, which revealed promising signs of renewed confidence in the country's high streets despite a challenging retail environment. In fact, it found that over a third of Scotland's independent high street retailers interviewed are optimistic about the future of their local high street, while almost four out of five shoppers would miss their local high street if it was no longer there.

High Streets minister Jake Berry MP said: "Congratulations to Turriff High Street on being shortlisted as one of the UK's best high streets in this year's Great British High Street Awards.

"The awards celebrate the great work that is being done to revive, adapt and diversify the nation's high streets and the quality of entries this year has been outstanding.

"Over the next six weeks Turriff High Street has the chance to impress an expert judging panel as they also battle it out in a public vote for the title of Britain's best high street.

"This is a great opportunity to show your support for the hard work going on in Turriff High Street, so get voting."

The Great British High Street Awards 2018, which are being run by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and is backed by other partners, is recognising and celebrating local achievements on our high streets and supporting the communities in which we live and work.

The initiative includes a competition to find the nation's best high streets, with one winner being named in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for each of the two categories: the champion and rising star awards. An overall winner will also be named.

Last year, Blackburn in Lancashire was crowned the Great British High Street winner thanks to the determination of the community and local businesses who work to drive improvements.