Portas Pilots failing to deliver funds to high street

The government's big idea to revive the high street was to put Mary Portas, the Queen of Shops, on the case.

Twelve troubled town centres in England, including Croydon, Dartford and Stockport, were chosen as the Portas Pilots and were each given £100,000 to spend on improving their high streets.

But a freedom of information request has revealed that, in total, less than 15% of the money has been spent, as Andrew Verity reports for Newsnight.

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