Leyton High Road shops to benefit from Olympic grant
Businessmandiscussed how a £400,000 grant to improve shop fronts in Leyton High Road in the run up to the 2012 Olympics should be spent.
The money is part of nearly £9 million secured by Waltham Forest Council to make improvements in the borough ahead of the games.
The shop front scheme aims to support economic growth in Leyton town centre by smartening up the shop fronts and street scene, in order to bring in more business.
The nine businesses taking part in the pilot scheme - who were selected following discussions with the Waltham Forest Business Board - met council leader Chris Robbins at the Town Hall last week.
Cllr Robbins said: “Hosting the 2012 Games is an opportunity that Waltham Forest residents and businesses will simply never have again.
“The economic impact of that many visitors, coming through our borough every day, is something we must harness but it won’t just fall into our laps. We’ve got to put in the work to make sure we’re getting more from the Games.”
The nine shops taking part in the pilot are close to the former town hall and Leyton Library, which are both undergoing major redevelopment.
Other improvements being made in the borough in the run-up to 2012 are, road safety work in Ruckholt Road, re-paving Leyton High Road and £1.75 million of improvements to Cann Hall Road and Crownfield Road in Leytonstone.
