TRADERS in Blaenavon welcomed news this week that after years of campaigning they are set to receive £15,000 to install roadside signs directing visitors to the town.

The Free Press joined traders by highlighting the need for better signs with our 'name that town' campaign.

Now businesses in the World Her-itage Site are to benefit from direction signs bearing the World Her-itage logo.

The move comes after businesspeople asked for signs to be put on main routes to Blaenavon, in a bid to attract more visitors to the town and boost its profile.

Joanna Chambers, of Broadleaf Books, Broad Street, said: "It's brilliant news, perhaps people will be able to find us now.

"I'm really pleased. I hope that will get people into town and hopefully the signs will be in place for the summer so that we can take advantage of all the visitors that go to Big Pit."

The signposting fund is part of a £185,000 boost heading for Blaenavon, thanks to a Welsh Assembly initiative.

The money has come from the Assembly's Heads of the Valley project and is the first grant to come to Torfaen from this source.

A £40 million fund has been set aside to help regenerate the area.

Each local authority will get chance to bid for a slice of the fund and the £185,000 Blaenavon windfall marks the first benefit from the Heads of the Valleys initiative.

As well as money designated for signs, £80,000 has been earmarked for restoring a building for retail/ residential purposes in Broad Street.

Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway will also benefit with £25,000 being spent on upgrading the car park.

Another £25,000 is being spent on Blaenavon Park and £40,000 is set to improve the street lighting around the town.

Cllr Bob Wellington, leader, of Torfaen Council, said: "This is the start of us getting money through the Heads of the Valley project.

"We now need to work to draw the funding down the valley to other areas in Torfaen covered by this excellent initiative."