Students pitch bold ideas to revive town centres across Mid and East Antrim

Pictured is the Mayor and Mayoress of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford and Allison Minford with Grace, Maisy and Emma from Cambridge House Grammar School with their winning idea 'Strike City' at the MEA Student Pitch challenge.

Young people from across Mid and East Antrim have stepped forward with fresh, ambitious ideas to breathe new life into struggling town centres — and their creativity is already turning heads.

A Dragon’s Den-style competition has seen post-primary students pitch innovative concepts aimed at boosting footfall and reimagining how local high streets can thrive in the future.

Next generation steps up with big ideas

The “Future of our Town Centre” Student Pitch Challenge, organised by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Town Centre Team, brought together teams from four schools: Slemish College, Ballymena Academy, Cambridge House Grammar School and Larne Grammar School.

Working in teams of up to six, students were tasked with tackling a real-world issue — the decline in town centre activity — before presenting practical, creative solutions designed to bring people back.

Their proposals were judged on creativity, impact, feasibility and presentation by a Council panel.

Winning ideas with real potential

The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford is pictured with Jack and Dylan, another winning team from Cambridge House Grammar School, creators of 'Ballymena Alive' at the MEA Student Pitch challenge.

Top honours went to teams from Cambridge House Grammar School in Ballymena and Larne Grammar School, whose pitches stood out among a strong field of entries.

Across the competition, students delivered a wide range of imaginative ideas, including:

• Night markets and cultural festivals

• Outdoor cinema events and themed town centre experiences

• Indoor global food markets and activity hubs

• A rewards app offering incentives for shopping locally

• Rotating display pods for local artists and entrepreneurs

Many of the proposals demonstrated clear potential to support local businesses, attract visitors and strengthen community connections.

“Imagination and confidence” praised

Pictured with the Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford is James, Gabriel, Tyler, Adam and Jonny, the winning team from Larne Grammar School, along with their two mentors who impressed judges with their pitch 'Better Space' at the MEA Student Pitch challenge. 

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford, commended the students’ efforts, highlighting both their creativity and their vision for the future.

“I was genuinely impressed by the imagination and confidence shown by the students. Their ideas were innovative, thoughtful and full of potential, showing that the next generation has a real passion for shaping the future of our town centres. It’s exciting to see young people thinking so boldly about how the towns can become even more vibrant places to visit.”

A fresh perspective on local challenges

Beyond the competition itself, the initiative gave students an opportunity to explore the underlying reasons behind declining town centre activity — and to respond with forward-thinking, practical solutions.

The Council’s Town Centre Team hopes the challenge will continue to inspire young people to play an active role in shaping vibrant, sustainable communities.

With ideas ranging from digital innovation to cultural experiences, the message from this year’s participants is clear: the future of local town centres may well lie in the hands of the next generation.

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At a glance

• Students from four local schools took part in a town centre innovation challenge

• The competition focused on boosting footfall and revitalising local high streets

• Teams presented ideas in a Dragon’s Den-style pitch format

• Winners came from Cambridge House Grammar School and Larne Grammar School

• Proposals included night markets, festivals, apps and community spaces

• Ideas were judged on creativity, feasibility, impact and presentation

• The initiative aimed to build entrepreneurial and critical thinking skills

• Students explored reasons behind town centre decline

• Many ideas showed potential to support businesses and attract visitors

• Council hopes to inspire future generations to shape local communities