A FORMER Guisborough bakery has been transformed to offer free adult education courses in a new scheme targeting empty or rundown properties across Redcar and Cleveland.

Shops and businesses across the borough are benefiting from the council's Uplifting Our Town Centres scheme.

Contracts with the owners of 17 empty and/or dilapidated commercial properties are now in place, including eight in Redcar, two in Saltburn, three in Guisborough and three in Loftus.

One of the best examples is the newly-refurbished former bakery in Westgate, Guisborough, now occupied by Redcar and Cleveland Council's Adult Learning Service, offering free learning for pleasure courses to anyone over the age of 19.

Courses are available in creative and performance art and have been funded through the Governments Learning Revolution Programme.

The council's cabinet member for economic development Councillor Mark Hannon said: "No one likes to see boarded up shops on any high street and this scheme was essential in tackling the problem.

"It's proved a very popular initiative even though it has been difficult in some cases to trace and contact the owners of the empty shops.

"But we are delighted with the outcomes already - and there will be more improvements to come.

"Our officers will continue to work with agents, tenants and owners of other targeted high street properties to offer financial support towards shop front improvements."