Welshpool is in the running for a £15,00 prize after being shortlisted in the Great British High Street Awards 2018, which aims to find the UK’s best high street.

After a rigorous selection process, Welshpool High Street was chosen by an independent judging panel as one of 26 streets to be shortlisted for the 'Champion' award.

The shortlisted high streets will now battle it out in a public vote, which accounts for 30 per cent of the final scoring, and will then have the chance to impress an expert judging panel as they seek to be crowned Britain’s best.

The winning entries for both the Champion and Rising Star categories will be announced on November 15, 2018, at an awards ceremony in London.

The bid by Welshpool Town Council followed research commissioned by Visa, sponsor of the 2018 Great British High Street Awards, which revealed promising signs of renewed confidence in the country’s high streets despite a challenging retail environment.

In fact, Visa found that more than half of the nation’s independent high street retailers interviewed are optimistic about the future of their local high street, whilst four out of five shoppers would miss their local high street if it was no longer there.

High Streets Minister Jake Berry MP said: “Congratulations to Welshpool High Street on being shortlisted as one of the UK’s best high streets in this year’s Great British High Street Awards.

“The awards celebrate the great work that is being done to revive, adapt and diversify the nation’s high streets and the quality of entries this year has been outstanding.

“Over the next six weeks Welshpool High Street has the chance to impress an expert judging panel as they also battle it out in a public vote for the title of Britain’s best high street.”

“This is a great opportunity to show your support for the hard work going on in Welshpool High Street so get voting!”

Sundeep Kaur, Head of UK & Ireland Merchant Services at Visa, added: “Welshpool High Street is a fantastic example of a high street which has made huge strides in transforming itself to offer a range of different experiences for locals and visitors alike. In particular, its entry highlighted the High Street's commendable street cleaning approach, with an army of Litter Champions who do weekly litter picks around the town and many local businesses signing up to help.

“Our research shows that now consumers demand a great deal from their high streets, so it is no surprise that Welshpool High Street has made the Champion category shortlist for its adaptability, resilience and creativity in meeting these demands.”

The Great British High Street Awards 2018, which are being run by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, sponsored by Visa and backed by other partners, is recognising and celebrating local achievements on our high streets and supporting the communities in which we live and work.

The initiative includes a competition to find the nation’s best high streets, with one winner being named in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for each of the two categories: the Champion and Rising Star Awards. An overall winner will also be named.

In 2016, Blackburn in Lancashire was crowned the Great British High Street winner thanks to the determination of the community and local businesses who worked in partnership to drive improvements and overcome the challenges their high street was facing.

For more information about the Great British High Street Awards 2018 and details on how to vote, visit: http://thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk