Derbyshire Times news bulletin 4th October

Derbyshire Times news bulletin with editor Phil Bramley

Transcript

00:00 Here's today's Derbyshire Times video bulletin.

00:03 Chesterfield has been lined up for £20 million of government funding to help revive the town

00:08 centre and wider economy. The money, which will be released over 10 years, is part of

00:14 £1.1 billion of levelling up investment, with 54 other towns across the UK benefiting.

00:20 Announcing the scheme, the government's Department for Leveling Up said that local

00:24 people would be in charge of how the money is spent. Under the plans, town boards, including

00:29 community leaders, employers, local authorities and MPs would engage with local people on

00:35 investment ideas. As well as the levelling up money, the boards would draw on new regeneration

00:40 powers to unlock private investment. Government ministers say specific powers include auctioning

00:46 empty high street shops, reforming licensing rules on shops and restaurants, and supporting

00:51 more housing in town centres. Chesterfield Borough Council leader Tricia Gilbey said

00:56 the council's work would mirror its oversight of the £25 million Stavely Town Deal. She

01:01 added "This is good news for Chesterfield, which builds on our success in securing levelling

01:06 up funding for the restoration of Stephenson's Memorial Hall and revitalising our historic

01:11 market grounds and high streets."

01:16 A high street shop which served the Derbyshire Dales town for half a century has closed its

01:20 doors for the last time, but the family business will live on to serve the community. Ken's

01:25 Mini Market, better known as Top Ken's, opened on Worksworth Marketplace in 1968 as

01:31 Ray's Mini Market, a joint venture between Ken Stone and his brother-in-law Ray Cocaine,

01:36 which finally closed last Friday. In its heyday, queues stretched around the door and the shop

01:41 survived many ups and downs, including once becoming the subject of a 20-minute comedy

01:46 routine by Dara O'Brien. However, Ken's fans will be pleased to know the business's

01:51 other outlet, Ken's Worksworth Megastore, is staying open and will be stocking some

01:55 of the more popular items from Top Ken's.