Away from the pomp and circumstance of well-known tourist sites such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, communities on the outskirts of London, UK, are suffering.

No thanks to the development of large, out-of-town shopping malls, and of course the recent economic downturn, streets in outer London districts that were once thriving with independent businesses and bustling with members of the local community are now quiet. Stores are closing and those that remain are run down and struggling to survive.

But the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has launched a scheme called The Outer London Fund to help regenerate these once vibrant community shopping districts. Up to £50 million has been made available for local communities “to strengthen the vibrancy and growth of high streets and their environs.”

 The East London borough of Barking is putting its share of the money into a project called ‘Paint the Town’, which seeks to inject some color and design into its storefronts.

Local business owners can apply for a local artist to custom-design a new look for their storefront shutters and advertising boards, for free. It is hoped that as well as making these streets more attractive and nicer places to shop, it will also reduce antisocial behaviour and vandalism by giving residents something to be proud of.

Here are a few examples of the storefront transformations that have occurred so far in Barking. You can also watch this Vimeo, made by The Bread Collective, one of the design agencies involved in the project: http://vimeo.com/76420425.

Do you think this kind of project cold make a difference? Wht about where you live?

About the Author:

Although her primary niche is in scientific writing and editing, freelance writer Lisa Martin is also a creative type with an eye for design. She regularly works alongside graphic designers and as such has a keen interest in the development of logos and branding.