OXFORDSHIRE’S ailing high streets were given a boost yesterday with a £200,000 pot to help fill empty shops.

Cherwell and Vale of White Horse district councils were both given a £100,000 slice of the Government’s £10m High Street Innovation Fund.

The cash has been allocated to areas with the most empty shops and could be used to cut rates for new businesses opening in empty properties.

It comes after retail expert Mary Portas told the Government a new approach was needed to breathe life into town centres.

A shop vacancy survey last September found one in 11 units in the Vale were empty.

Last night Cherwell did not have any figures available.

Nigel Wild, pictured right, president of the Oxfordshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “It is excellent news – seeing empty shops is not a good thing.

“Businesses could be supported to start as pop-up shops until they become established and they can stand on their own two feet.”

Leader of the Vale Matthew Barber said the money could also be used to help smaller traders sell and compete online.

He said: “We need to do our numbers to see how far £100,000 would stretch but this is something that will benefit all towns in the Vale.”

He said it was right taxpayers’ cash is spent on businesses, adding: “It’s vitally important we have a vibrant economy.

“We want more employment and thriving town centres for people to enjoy.”

Margaret Coles, chairman of the Oxfordshire branch of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Areas such as Banbury High Street need revitalising.

“If they offer small businesses rate relief, that would encourage them because that is what is killing them at the moment.”

Of the Government money she added: “I don’t know if that is going to make a huge amount of difference.”

Ms Portas is linking up with the Government to give 12 towns a share of another pot of £1m to help turn around their ‘unloved and unused’ high streets.

Oxford, Didcot, Abingdon, and Carterton, this week all applied to be one of the Portas Pilot towns. The chosen sites will be announced in May.

Iain Nicholson, co-founder of the Oxfordshire Town Chambers Network, said: “Mary Portas has done a brilliant job creating a buzz around such an important issue, and it is encouraging to see funding becoming available to build on the hard work that’s already under way to maintain the vibrancy of Oxfordshire’s high streets.”

Fiona Roper, deputy mayor of Wantage, said recent improvements to the market place had helped attract businesses and shoppers and were a good example of what Ms Portas was trying to achieve.

She added: “We have also launched a shoppers’ loyalty card and introduced two hours’ free parking which has made a huge difference. People now know Wantage means business.”