The Big Burton Carousel to help boost high street's economy

Dozens of sculptures will be displayed on a Staffordshire high street in a bid to boost the local economy.

The Big Burton Carousel will display 30 horse sculptures made from recycled plastic to encourage shoppers to explore Burton-upon-Trent.

Many local businesses said they had noticed the cost of living crisis had kept customers away from shops.

East Staffordshire Borough Council hopes its £12,000 investment into the project will buck the trend.

Art trail organiser, Tilley Bancroft, said it was "a really good way to encourage footfall but in an interesting way".

"I think one of the things we're particularly interested in doing is looking at the community, looking at civic pride," she said.

"We're trying to get that pride element back into towns."

In January, around 50 shops closed every day on the high streets across the country and shopper numbers were down by a quarter, according to British Retail Consortium.

Luke Churchley started his business Annie Maison Café Bar by investing about £250,000 not long before the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Since this cost of living crisis has kicked in, we're seeing a dramatic fall [in customers]," he said.

Mr Churchley has had to come up with creative ways to bring more customers into his café by hosting live events and open mic nights to show off local talent in the town.

The council said using art and entertainment was a positive way of encouraging people back to the town centre.

Chloe Brown, who manages Brewhouse Arts Centre, said the council would be putting on other free events throughout the summer as a way of bringing even more people in.

The sculpture trail will start in June 2022 and last for 10 weeks, with the horses then being auctioned to raise money for mental health charity, Burton Mind.

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