Two new Lowestoft Street Ambassadors who start patrolling the town centre today. Jason Grant (left) and Steven Collier (right) Picture: James Bass

Two new street ambassadors have begun patrolling Lowestoft’s streets.

Jason Grant and Steven Collier will work to promote the town, offer support to visitors and shoppers, and help to keep Lowestoft safe.

Seven months ago, Lowestoft became the only town in Suffolk to secure £100,000 under the Portas Pilot initiative. The money was earmarked to rejuvenate the town’s shopping areas, and the first tranche of this has help fund the new posts.

Mr Grant, who is well-known in town with his involvement as SSI at Pakefield Army Cadet Force, and Mr Collier, a Gamesmaker at last year’s London Olympics, started their new roles yesterday.

They will be working in the town until the end of the year on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm, covering the Portas Pilot areas of Kirkley, the town centre and the historic High Street.

Their main tasks are to assist the public and act as a “customer service point” for the whole town.

Town centre manager, Emma King, said she hoped the ambassadors’ contract could be extended if the Lowestoft BID – which is seeking to set up a new business district in Lowestoft – won approval.

“They’re very customer facing and a link for businesses – the eyes and ears for Lowestoft Town Management Partnership (LTMP),” she said.

“The whole idea with the Lowestoft Vision BID is that we would like to keep the street ambassadors and this will be one of our key areas – to sustain them and possibly extend their hours.

“They are security trained, first aid trained, and linked to the town radio at all times... They’re also a deterrent to potential trouble-makers as we want people to feel safe, to enjoy their visit to our town and to come back.”

Other Portas Pilot schemes in the pipeline include a mentoring scheme and a mystery shopper initiative.

Mrs King, who works for LTMP as the retail arm of the chamber of commerce, said the Lowestoft Vision BID was progressing well, but its success rested on the initiative winning support from local businesses.

She said: “Ballot notices will go out on April 11 with a copy of the business plan. Ballot papers will be despatched on April 25 and the actual ballot takes place on May 22.... It is such a massive project.”

Tomorrow, LTMP will be launching an Easter egg hunt for families among local independent retailers, which runs until April 14.

By visiting retailers listed on the special egg hunt map, or those with an official poster displayed in their window, entrants can collect eggs as they go along.

Once enough have been collected, they can claim a free chocolate egg and a certificate.

■For more information, email Emma@waveneychamber.co.uk or ring 01502 502200.