A new fish and chip shop and café is set to open in Rochdale town centre as part of the council’s business rates sale.

Syed Kashif was lured to the town centre by the council’s generous rates sale, which has brought a host of new businesses into the town centre over the past 18 months.

The council initiative has already seen vacancy rates in Rochdale town centre fall from 27 to 13 per cent.

New independent businesses are being offered 80% off in their first year.

Mr Kashif will also benefit from a new council scheme which offers new businesses opening in selected vacant units across the borough grants for building improvements and new shop fronts.

The new business start-up grant, which has just been launched, will see the council match contributions by business owners to renovate the property, with grants of up to £5,000 available.

And in a double boost for businesses in the borough, all those which are eligible for the business rates discount, which now also covers Heywood and Middleton town centres, will also be eligible for the start-up grant.

Councillor Richard Farnell, leader of Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Our business rates sale, the most generous council initiative of its kind in the country, has already proved a big success, with empty units filling as their fastest rate in a long time.

“We wanted to look at how we could do even more to improve our high street and found that the amount of money needed to get some of the vacant units into shape was too much for new businesses, so we came up with this scheme to give people even more incentive to invest in our borough and I’m delighted to see that it’s already bearing fruit.”

The new business will open in the former Grandma Millie’s unit at Bull Brow on the Butts.

The property was badly damaged in the Boxing Day Floods and Mr Kashif has invested around £30,000 renovating it using flood-resistant materials. The new shop front will be a glass and timber Victorian style, in keeping with the town centre conservation area.

Mr Kashif said: “I’ve worked in a café in Manchester for a while and thought this was really good opportunity to have my own place. It’s a great spot right next to the river and we’ve totally renovated it.

"The council support is great and has helped me make a long-term investment in Rochdale. I'm hoping to open early in the new-year and will be serving breakfasts, lunch and dinner from 7am to 7pm.”

To find out more about the council’s business rates sale and start-up grants, please visit: rochdale.gov.uk/smallbizhelp