THE battle cry has been issued to shoppers and businesses in Radcliffe, Prestwich, and Whitefield to help save their town centres.

They are being urged to have their say in the fight against out-of-town shopping complexes at a series of meetings next week.

Questionnaires have been sent to traders as part of an assessment, commissioned by Bury Council and carried out by Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners, in a bid to keep shoppers local and find out what people want for their town centre.

The Whitefield meetings will take place on Monday, June 21, at the community hall in the Elms Precinct between noon and 2pm for traders and 6pm to 8pm for residents and local groups.

A meeting for Prestwich businesses will be held at Prestwich Library on Wednesday, June 23, between noon and 2pm, and residents and groups can have their say between 6pm and 8pm.

The Radcliffe meeting for businesses will be at Radcliffe Civic Suite between noon and 2pm next Thursday, followed by a meeting for residents between 6pm and 8pm.

Council leader Derek Boden said: "We want to make sure people's views are taken into account as it is the long-term future of the town centre we are talking about."

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