Haworth traders have welcomed a grant scheme to improve the historic character of their properties and attract more visitors to the village.

English Heritage is offering to pay up to 80 per cent towards selected projects which re-introduce lost historical details such as traditional shop fronts and sash windows.

Last summer, English Heritage held an exhibition in the village with Bradford Council to show shopkeepers examples of properties as they were in the past.

The organisation is now asking property owners to submit their own ideas for enhancing their shops and creating a more authentic atmosphere for visitors to Main Street.

Wendy Breeze, owner of Mrs Beighton’s Sweet Shop, said: “I think the grant is an excellent idea. All the windows need replacing in the building and we were looking at getting a new shop front.

“It is not a listed building, but it is in a conservation area and anything you have done is expensive.”

Nikki Carroll, owner of Firths, said: “I think this street would benefit from some help to do up the shops. In a recession it is hard to keep going from day to day let alone spending money on putting in sash windows.

“It depends how they stipulate we have to use it, but I am open to suggestions.”

She added that it was time Haworth received some investment. “Haworth is the jewel in the crown from a Yorkshire tourism point of view, but far more money has been invested in Saltaire and Hebden Bridge,” she said.

“I do think the Council should invest more in this village to support the traders because if we are gone what is going to be left?”

The scheme coincides with the completion of work by the Council to help preserve the traditional character of the world-famous Bronte village.

New street furniture, including seats and signposts, have been put in place and natural stone setts and footpaths have been repaired in Main Street.

Tony Venables, co-owner of Venables and Bainbridge, agreed it was a good idea to try to improve the visitor experience. “There are some really tacky plastic signs out there and it would be good if people could be persuaded to replace them,” he said. “It would also be good to get rid of the amplified music that is played from loud speakers all the way up the street.”

Rita Verity, manager of Sonya’s Smile, said her shop was held up as a good example by English Heritage during the presentation in the summer. She said she had followed the charity’s advice and removed a flat panel from her front door to reveal the original shop door underneath. “It was just amazing to find the original door underneath,” she said.

The Keighley Townscape Heritage Initiative is carrying out a similar improvement scheme in Keighley’s historic centre with a £2.7 million grant supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Bradford Council.

The project will see a programme of redevelopment including the restoration of historic buildings and their re-use, as well as restoring traditional shop fronts.

English Heritage regional director Trevor Mitchell said it was hoped the improvements would generate more trade in Haworth. “A restored shop on Haworth Main Street will be more attractive to customers and tenants which, in turn, will lead to increased business revenue,” he said.

“This project will benefit everyone and should result in some exemplary showcase designs for the village.”