ONE of the youngest department store managers in Britain is to head Kendal’s town centre regeneration project.

Dan Morley, who leads the team at Beales in Finkle Street, has been elected chairman of the Kendal Business Improvement District (BID) board.

The 28-year-old Londoner says he’s now looking forward to working with a ‘fantastic group’ of directors as they plot a revival of the town’s fortunes.

“I’m a firm believer in community retailing and I’m really looking forward to being part of something great in Kendal,” said Dan. “Kendal is a beautiful market town with a great range of retailers, both large and small, and the town has absolutely huge potential for the future.

“Now we have a BID in place with a fantastic group of directors we can begin the fight back.”

Dan, who lives with his wife Phillipa at Lupton, is originally from Croydon, Surrey. He worked at Allders in the town before moving to Primark for two years. He moved to Beales last May, taking up the position of manager at Kendal in the same month.

“I’ve always been in retail - I absolutely love it,” he said.

Kendal BID, which came into being on March 1, is being funded by a levy on town centre businesses and supported by a government grant.

The BID will invest up to £1 million over the next five years to launch a comprehensive marketing campaign and carry out improvements to the appearance of the town centre, new car parking initiatives, group business initiatives and creating a strong business voice for the town.

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Other Kendal BID board members are: vice-chairman Simon Thomas, of Staff of Life Bakery, and directors: Abi Green, Boots the Chemist; Jacqueline Ward, Armstrong Ward; Colin Reynolds, Green Door Artists’ Studio; Gordon Watson, Abbot Hall Art Gallery; Richard Foster, Brewery Arts Centre; John Osborne, Temple Heelis; Rory Black, Designworks; Christian Hoyle, Eden Hair; and Brian Harrison, Federation of Small Businesses.