A call has gone out to Keighley businesses to make sure the town looks as attractive as possible when the Tour De France passes through next year.

The Townscape Heritage Initiative is a £2.7 million project to improve Keighley town centre by restoring its historic buildings.

Funded by the National Lottery and Bradford Council, the money has been used to improve several buildings so far, including the former police station, the Royal Arcade and the new Tax Assist office on North Street. Church Street is currently being re-surfaced with traditional York stone.

Almost £1.5 million of funding is still available and the woman behind the project has called on more businesses to apply for their share of the pot as soon as possible, so works can be complete by next July.

North Street is the likely route the world’s best cyclists will take when they pass through Keighley as part of the Yorkshire leg of the Tour De France. With many of the road’s shops either empty or in need of refurbishment, the fund has been described as a perfect opportunity for the town to beautify itself before the world’s television cameras descend on it.

One of the project’s main aims is to return the street to how it looked in its Victorian days, including restoring original shop fronts and bringing empty units back into use.

Historic plans and old photos have been researched to come up with shop designs that match how the street looked in its heyday.

Sue Oakley, the Council officer running the scheme, said: “There are a few businesses that have come forward and applied for grants, so we have quite a few projects in the pipeline. There is plenty of funding left for anyone who is interested. Our main priorities are North Street, High Street and Church Street. It is something we want to get sorted quickly. It would be great to have things done in time for the Tour.

“Things like shop fronts are important, it’s what people really notice.”

For details of how to apply for a grant, visit Bradford.gov.uk/conservation