Plans to have the “dragons of tomorrow” fire up Britain’s beleaguered high streets has gone nationwide.
Following the major success of last summer’s pilot TestTown project in Dunfermline, the Carnegie UK Trust have announced details of this year’s competition, which will see seven finals held in towns and cities including Perth across the UK.
As 50,000 shops lie empty across Britain, young entrepreneurs are being invited to submit plans for pop-up shops that could double footfall.
The plan is to inject new life into failing high streets by providing young people with the retail space, facilities and support they need to test ideas.
With only 3% of small businesses run by under-35s and 16 to 24-year-olds topping the unemployment leagues, TestTown is offering a lifeline to young people with an entrepreneurial spirit but little means to turn dreams into reality.
Anyone aged between 16 and 30 can apply to be part of TestTown, which is taking place in Perth, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Rhyl, Kirkintilloch, Bury St Edmunds and Coleraine between June and August.
Applicants should not look for their nearest TestTown but should assess which one would best suit their idea. Each town will select a finalist, who will then be tested against the other regional winners.
The overall winner will be the person or team deemed most successful during a week-long pop-up retail festival staged in a yet-to-be revealed prominent town centre.
They will receive £10,000 for their business and ongoing support from the trust and its partners.
TestTown programme leader, Jim Metcalfe, said the time had come to offer young people the opportunity to bring a new perspective to high streets.
“In the age of online shopping and social media, town centres need to adapt to woo local people back into them.
“There is chronic youth unemployment in the UK and the sight of vacant shops in our town centres is something this initiative aims to change.”
TestTown, at www.testtown.org.uk, is open for applications until April 16.