Visa, in partnership with the British Retail Consortium (BRC), has announced the winners of its 2025 Let’s Celebrate Towns awards, recognising six standout UK towns for their innovation, resilience, and commitment to economic and community growth.
Each winning town will receive a £20,000 grant to support a new or ongoing community project aimed at fostering local development, creating jobs, and supporting small businesses.
Now in its third year, the Let’s Celebrate Towns programme showcases the vital role that UK towns play in nurturing community-led initiatives and driving economic resilience. The 2025 edition focused on six key areas essential to local prosperity: High Street Transformation, Small Business Support, Future Skills, Connectivity, Circularity, and Powering Change.
This year’s winners are:
• Ramsgate – Small Business Support
• Gosport – Future Skills
• Morecambe – Connectivity
• Swanley – Powering Change
• Malton & Norton – Circularity
• Wallsend – High Street Transformation
Each of these communities has demonstrated outstanding leadership and creativity in tackling local challenges and creating opportunities for inclusive growth.
Mandy Lamb, Managing Director of Visa UK & Ireland, said the awards programme continues to reflect Visa’s belief in the power of strong local economies.
“We believe that when our towns thrive, the UK as a whole flourishes. Many people live and work in these vibrant communities, making it essential to invest in their growth and development. We are proud to highlight the resilience and innovation that define these towns.”
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, echoed the importance of the programme in supporting high streets and the wider economy.
“Our collaboration with Visa highlights the dynamic role of retail in fostering thriving high streets and vibrant local economies. The achievements of these winning towns serve as inspiring examples of best practice.”
Since launching in 2022, Let’s Celebrate Towns has supported 22 towns across the UK, offering both recognition and funding to drive grassroots development and amplify the impact of local initiatives.
The £20,000 award for each town will go toward projects that align with their respective category win—from boosting high street footfall and upgrading digital infrastructure to investing in green initiatives or future workforce skills.
With rising interest in sustainable growth and community-first economic development, the awards provide a blueprint for how UK towns can adapt and thrive in the face of changing high street dynamics and shifting consumer behaviours.
