A town councillor has put his money where his mouth is to help drum up support to make Newport Pagnell more colourful.
John Smith, 67, has donated £77.25 – the price of maintaining a hanging basket for the town – and is now calling on town businesses to do the same.
The project to beautify the town has been two years in the making, brought on by the granting of the application for a Tesco opposite the Aston Martin site.
Mr Smith said: “We started this two years ago because we were wary of how many businesses might go under because of the new Tesco.
“This year we have had a wonderful response and people have been coming into the town council offices to tell us how lovely it looks, and even dropping in donations.”
Mr Smith has lived in the town for 35 years and been on its council for nine. He will soon be visiting all shops and businesses in the High Street between the police station and Tickford Bridge to ask if they would like to help with a donation.
In total there will be 80 baskets, and John is hoping they will be in place by mid-May.
He said: “If I am going to go to these places and ask them for a donation I thought it only fair I make a contribution.
“There will be a plaque outside the council offices, a note on the website and in our town newsletter listing those who have donated.”
“If people visit the town and see how beautiful it is they will want to come back and spend money here.
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