UNSUCCESSFUL bids to win government cash for a high street upgrade have forced two towns to go back to the drawing board.

Leyburn and Bedale submitted appeals for a share of £1.2m from the Government in response to a report on British high streets by TV’s retail expert Mary Portas.

The market towns failed to convince judges of their need to be one of the 12 towns to receive a share of cash in the Portas Review.

Councillor Fleur Butler, from the Lower Wensleydale Area Partnership, said: “It is very disappointing that Leyburn was unsuccessful but we were clearly not the right type of place they were looking for.

“Leyburn is a rural market town and I think the judges did not believe it needed any financial support.”

However Coun Butler said: “It was a useful process though as we now know where Leyburn needs to go and what we need to do next.

“It was a positive process as we now have lots of ideas for the future.”

Bedale town councillor John Noon said he was disappointed but understood the towns awarded money - including Stockton-on-Tees, Stockport and Margate, Kent - had a greater need for it.

“We could have used the money and advice but when I look at the towns that won I think maybe they deserved it more,” he said.

Local Government minister Grant Shapps said there would be a second round of the competition in the future which would see 15 towns benefit from a cash boost.

He said: “Together these pilots can be the vanguard of a high street revolution, and others can look to their example to kick start a renaissance of our town centres."

Mr Noon added: “Bedale has done very well in the past with Heritage Lottery and Market Town Renaissance funds, along with a town team and small community that comes together to bring things forward.

“We have already been through this kind of process before and I’m sure we will again - it was just another step in the right direction.”

Chris Wade, chief executive of national charity Action for Market Towns, said: “The sheer volume of 371 applications, alongside our own figures showing a decline in footfall across small towns, show the enormous need for more widespread action to tackle the decline in Britain's high streets.

“With just 27 Portas Pilots being funded, well over 300 community projects to rejuvenate high streets will be disappointed.”