CITY council staff are setting out how they want to spend £100,000 to boost shopping in Haxby and Acomb, including half for an experts’ report.

The money was set aside in council budgets last year to support “secondary shopping areas” outside the city centre.

Next Tuesday, July 3, the council’s economic development head Simon Brereton will ask executive member Cllr Keith Aspden to sign-off on spending plans.

Cllr Aspden said they wanted the areas to follow in the footsteps of Bishopthorpe Road.

"We’ve listened to residents, community groups and traders and now we want to take their ideas forward to help really make a difference in Front Street, Acomb and Haxby.

"We all want to see shopping areas, including those outside of the city centre, have the same success as Bishy Road. These grants are just one step we are taking towards achieving this and improving the overall experience by making these areas more attractive.”

A paper prepared for Cllr Aspden shows staff want to split the money between short and long term plans - “immediate measures to improve footfall and the street scene and a study to consider physical improvements to the public realm, designed to make a longer term impact”.

That would include spending £50,000 on consultants who can look at everything from transport links and the catchment area for the shops, to longer term retail trends and street layouts.

Of the other £50,000 the biggest chunk - £7,000 - would then be spent on helping to bring more people into Acomb during the Christmas lights period, increasing footfall to the shops.

Acomb is also in line for another £3,000 for new planters to improve the appearance of Front Street, plus £5,000 for the recycling area on Acomb Green.

The ADAM festival will get £2,500 a year for the next two years, while ‘wayfinding’ or street signs on Front Street will get another £2,000 investment. The Acomb traders’ group Acomb Alive has been behind many initiatives to improve Front Street and the shopping area, and Mr Brereton’s report says they need to try and replicate that in Haxby.

“In Haxby, the current lack of a traders’ group presents a challenge in how the council can work with local businesses to improve the business environment,” it says.

They want to spend £5,000 on a feasibility study looking at setting up a Haxby traders’ association.

That would leave £23,000 in the fund, which could then be spent different projects proposed by either Haxby or Acomb traders in this financial year.