West Berkshire Council is planning to ask town centre businesses whether they are prepared to pay an additional tax on their rates to pay for extra projects to increase trade.

If more than 60% of businesses vote in favour, the extra cash would be collected by the council and channeled through a Business Improvement District to be spent on enhancements agreed with local traders.

In the past, there’s been little appetite for such measures, with retailers funding less of the running of Newbury town centre steering group, and also refused to pay towards the Christmas lights.

The idea has come from the US, where downtown city areas have been regenerated by using the additional income to clean up graffiti, install CCTV and improve signage. They have also been used extensively in rundown British cities like Plymouth, Liverpool and Coventry. But the risk for shopkeepers is they could face further rent rises as their premises become more marketable. Newbury already lost 15 shops last year, due to a mix of rent rises and internet shopping. However, the units are never empty long.

Shop managers, independent traders and shopping centre managers will be consulted in the next few weeks by West Berkshire Council.