NEW life could be breathed into Kidder-minster town centre if a bid for a share of £2.7 million being made today is successful.

The town has been shortlisted as a contender for a two-year project, part funded by the European Social Fund, and is now one of 15 towns and cities nationwide vying to become one of five pilot schemes.

The much-needed cash injection would be used to boost activities within the town centre and to promote it both locally and regionally.

District council economic development and tourism manager, Steve Singleton, and town centre partnership chairman, Peter Picken, were today travelling to Birmingham's NEC to pitch for a place in the Agora Project, set up to boost Britain's flagging town and city centres.

While some areas have seen major investment in recent years, Agora - Greek for marketplace - aims to reverse the decline, which is hitting 60 per cent of the nation's traditional centres.

Mr Picken said they did not expect to find out today if their bid had been successful but, if it is chosen as one of the pilots, the cash will be used to fund a town centre manager.

"The majority of towns that we compete with have town centre management and, while the partnership has done a lot of work, we need someone with the time and expertise to be working on enhancing and selling the town centre," he explained.

"We need to encourage support from the local community and visitors from further afield because we do have something to offer."

It is hoped the project would kick-start and support a variety of schemes spanning social and economic needs and training, as well as helping to boost retail and business.

Mr Picken said Kidderminster had gone through a "very difficult patch", with the loss of manufacturing, and was accepted as an area where education attainment and skill levels are not high and where the average weekly wage is below the national average.

"The local authority is putting in strategies to begin to address these issues but it will be several years before they begin to bear fruit," he added.

"In the short term, a successful bid will allow us to develop the town by use of a town centre manager and the cash would cover their salary and provide an operating budget.

"We believe that we have a very good chance of being chosen.

"We are certainly going forward with a very positive attitude and believe that, in the very specific areas that are of interest to this project, that we meet the criteria."

Despite new developments at Weavers Wharf, Crossley Park and Green Street, the traditional heart of Kidderminster has suffered from a decline in retail in recent years.

The Marks & Spencer High Street store has remained boarded up for most the time since its closure in 2003 - only being able to attract temporary tenants.

There was shock news when Waitrose announced it was pulling out of the town this summer, leaving the Swan Centre without its flagship store.

Several other smaller retail businesses have closed in the town, leaving a trail of empty shops.