Landlords with vacant units in Cheltenham town centre are being asked to work with the council to clean up their shopfronts and proactively market their premises for let.

Property owners have been asked to contact Cheltenham Borough Council to talk about any challenges and barriers they may have in filling or repurposing their vacant units, as well as keeping them in a good condition.

The work is part of the vacant units action plan, commissioned by the council and Cheltenham BID, aimed at reducing empty shops, improving the look and feel of the town centre and maintaining Cheltenham as a vibrant destination of choice to live, play and work.

Tracey Birkinshaw, director of community and economic development at Cheltenham Borough Council, said: "We have written to building owners to encourage them to work positively with us to make their units look more presentable and reduce the number of vacancies in our town centre.

"Whilst we acknowledge there can be valid reasons for empty units in some cases, it is essential for our high street that these units are properly managed and kept in a good condition.

"Cheltenham performs much better than many other towns, footfall is strong, and the number of vacant units is lower than the national average, but we cannot assume the development industry will make the interventions needed.

"As a council, we will continue to play a strong leadership role in tackling some of the issues associated with the vacant units we do have - and take enforcement action where needed."

A number of units are being reviewed and the council will use relevant enforcement powers where necessary to boost the look and feel of the high street and ensure its continued success as an attractive place for local residents, visitors and businesses.

Cheltenham Civic Society recently called on the council to make improvements to the appearance of the town centre.