Hull BID is continuing its work with Hull City Council and other organisations to bring improvements to Whitefriargate and the wider Old Town area.

The partnership is bidding for Government cash as part of the second round of Portas Pilot projects and has already secured money from the High Street Innovation Fund and built on the concept of the Town Team.

Hull’s Town Team, which incorporates Hull BID, began exploring ideas to improve key areas even before the Portas Pilot scheme was announced. The partners subsequently made Whitefriargate the focus of the bid for funds and will continue to target the area in spite of having missed out on the first round.

Jon Pywell, the City Council’s Assistant Head of Service: Economic Development and

Regeneration, said the disappointment has already been forgotten. He said: “The Town Team who put the bid together has used the opportunity to shape further initiatives to develop Whitefriargate and the Old Town and has received £100 000 from the government’s High Street Innovation Fund, which provided a welcome resource to continue the work we were already doing.

“The momentum gained provides an excellent opportunity to work collectively to continue to develop one of the city centres most important assets. The Government has announced that there will be a further round of funding due to the high quality of the 371 bids submitted. The team is looking forward its bid being successful.” Kathryn Shillito added: “The important thing is that we had already started our work before the Portas Review came along.

“It was disappointing to miss out but the strength of the partnership is such that we have already made great progress by securing other funding and by bringing together organisations and ideas that can really make a difference to our city.”