A CASH injection of £25million is being sought to help bolster Salisbury’s high street and improve the offer available for residents as well as visitors.

Wiltshire Council is set to bid to the government’s Future High Streets Fund, which has a pot of £675 million available.

A consultation will be carried out regarding the city’s proposal, a meeting of Salisbury Area Board heard last week.

Councillor Pauline Church, economic development chief, told the meeting that there had been a six per cent drop in footfall between 2015 and 2016 which had stabilised but dropped again last year by another 11 per cent - due to the Novichok incident.

She said the drop in footfall was recognised across the UK but added: “Of course, we are in a particularly difficult situation and it hasn’t recovered in the way we want to. We need to be making some strategic decisions about what we do in Salisbury to make sure we keep our high street vitality going, to keep it busy, and keep our community and visitors interested in coming here.”

The main themes that have come out of discussions is to ensure a great experience on the high street, look at what can be done to attract more tourists as well as support business growth and bring more young people into the city.

Council officer Victoria Moloney said the way people are using high streets is changing and becoming more a social place where they go to socialise and meet friends.

Other projects being looked at, which Cllr Church, said would need to go out to consultation, were around the improvement of the Fisherton gateway, the area around the train station, and also creating a new attraction. The project, Illuminating Salisbury, Cllr Church said, was about “enhancing” the city’s heritage and buildings with light.

The accessiblity in the city in terms of improving pedestrian and cycle facilities, trying to reduce traffic in the city centre and improving park and ride services, were also being looked at.