A LEYTON shopkeeper has welcomed plans to revamp 16 shops along the High Road.

A total of £400,000 from central government and the Olympic budget has been put into the project to improve shop fronts and encourage businesses to move into the area ahead of the Olympic games.

The first phase will include work to the fronts of 16 shops on High Road on the junction with Adelaide Road.

Signs, doors, fascias and other parts of the buildings will be renovated and historic features will be returned to their former glory.

Arif Bung is the owner of Blackwells Newsagents, which is one of the businesses to benefit from the scheme.

He said: "This is a good project. There has been an excellent response from the shop keepers here.

"It will be a big improvement to the area. The whole street will look better in time for the Olympics."

Surveys are currently being carried out on each of the buildings to create a detailed plan of the work needed.

The renovation is expected to start in July 2011, and be complete by November.

The council said if the project is successful and more funding can be found it will be rolled out in other areas.

Waltham Forest Council leader Cllr Chris Robbins said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for us to smarten up the appearance of Leyton in the run up to the Olympic Games and encourage more people to come here.

"We want this area to become a thriving retail centre in our borough, and we think the best way to do that is to help shop keepers to improve the appearance of their premises so they look fresher and more inviting."

Chair of Waltham Forest Business Board, Michael Polledri, said: "Waltham Forest Business Board are delighted to be part of this excellent initiative.

"We believe that once the works are completed this will be another major visible example of the Olympic legacy benefiting Waltham Forest and, in this case, Leyton in particular."