1,000 ‘Portas stores’ close

ALMOST 1,000 shops have disappeared from 12 towns awarded Government cash in a campaign to get locals spending in their area.

The towns – including Stockport in Greater Manchester and Croydon in South London – were chosen after a review by retail expert Mary Portas.

It is a 17% fall in stores since the £1.2million High Street Innovation Fund launched five years ago.

Ms Portas said she had “hoped it might kick-start something – but it didn’t”.