Independent retailers can avail of grant aid of up 7,500 per retail unit for the redevelopment of shopfronts in the town centre area. Promoters of the scheme say the level of grant aid represents up to 40% of the industry-accepted cost for a shopfront refit.

The funding is being made available by Bray town council and will be provided on a first come, first served basis.

Supermarket chains and banks will not be entitled to grants but are being encouraged to support the redevelopment plan.

The planned facelift will also involve painting upper building facades in the main shopping area at no cost to independent retailers or owners of premises. "It's the first time anything like this has been tried in Ireland, " says Eugene Finnnegan, chairman of Bray Tourism. "The response we've had from retailers has been extremely positive.

It's very important to project an attractive public image for tourists visiting the town and this is a completely innovative way of going about it."

The Bray rejuvenation committee, the group behind the makeover project is a publicprivate partnership supported by the town council, the Chamber of Commerce, and a number of local retailers' groups. The committee is chaired by Dermod Dwyer, chairman of the National Conference Centre, Spencer Dock.

"Painting the town isn't just a good catchphrase, it's now going to be a reality in Bray, " Dwyer says. "When out on the street, very few of us think to look up to see what's above shopfront level. We want to think in terms of the entirety of each retail unit. We're hoping this project will now help to bolster confidence. And if the scheme is successful we'll look to extending it to other areas of the town."

The areas earmarked for rejuvenation include the Main Street, Quinsborough Road, Florence Road, and Castle Street. In order to qualify for aid, renovation work must conform with specific criteria. A comprehensive document offering advice on shopfront design has been drawn up by Colum O'Broin of O'Broin and Partners Architects and adopted as a benchmark by the committee.

The guidelines include the recommendation that fascias should be in scale with the overall height of the shop front and other elements of the building. In relation to signage, individually mounted lettering or hand-painted lettering is required. The guidelines state that "well designed signage incorporated into the design of the shop front is preferred". Any canopies erected are expected to be positioned below the fascia and should have a functional purpose, providing shelter or protecting goods from sunlight. Materials used in shop front construction are expected to be of good quality and to be durable, and should respect the age and character of the building and adjoining street.

One potentially far reaching stipulation relates to security shuttering. Retailers are advised that external shutters have a major impact on the street scene and should never be used. Instead, "internal open mesh window grilles set back behind the window display give a less fortified appearance".

Extra parking spaces are to be made available at the weekends in the Civic Centre car park as a first step in relieving the town's chronic traffic problems.

"In fairness to the town council they have engaged consultants to look at the issue of traffic management, " Eugene Finnnegan says. "I know more space will come on stream when the Florentine Centre is built. And there are plans to increase parking at Herbert Road. Increasing the number of car park spaces in the town won't solve the traffic issue. Bray can't cope with the current levels of traffic we're having to endure.

"The problem stems from the hold-up over the Florentine Centre, " says new mayor, Labour councillor Anne Ferris. "Ballymore Homes bought up a lot of property on and off the main street and they have have been derelict for a long time. As a result, a lot of retailers on the Main Street have suffered and some of them didn't have a sufficient incentive to tidy up their shopfronts.

"This rejuvenation project is a wonderful idea. And in five or 10 years when the Florentine centre is built and the golf club lands are developed, Bray will be a town second to none, capable of rivalling even the likes of Dundrum."

The closing date for applications to Bray town council is 10 August 2007, with all work to be completed before the Christmas trading season.