Ypung people are being encouraged to make use of shops, restaurants and cafes in Barrow town centre.

Furness College’s Students’ Union and Barrow’s Business Improvement District are working together to encourage independent retailers to offer a student discount.

Students at Furness College can now use a TOTUM card as part of a scheme to gain rewards on items they buy.

Colin Garnett, manager of the BID, said it was important to reach out to young people.

He said: “Young people are not just the customers of today but the customers of tomorrow.

“A lot of them will now shop online or elsewhere in town but we should try to encourage them back into the town centre to our independent shops and restaurants.”

Callum Slater, student liaison officer at Furness College, said: “The hope is to create a community and to make the town centre more of a place for students.

“That is why we want to offer them rewards and discount as an incentive, to build this community and make it work for everyone.

“There are lots of shops and businesses in the town centre students would love to shop at, the shops just may not have marketed themselves that way.

“They might have neglected students because are not necessarily aware that they are a group of customers they can bring in.”

Mr Slater said students at the college would be working closely with the BID on events, including the group’s Vintage Car Show and Super Soapbox Challenge.

Working together, the college and the BID are hoping to have 20 town centre business to sign up to the discount scheme.

In return for offering a discount for students, the businesses would be advertised on screens around Furness College.

So far four businesses are on-board, including cafes, beauty salons and clothes shops, with discounts ranging from five per cent to 20 per cent.

Businesses are being asked to sign up for the scheme on the college’s website.

Barrow BID is made up of businesspeople in the town centre.

The group is funded through a levy paid by businesses.

It is working to drive trade in the town centre.

Yesterday the group hosted an open meeting of residents and businesses to discuss plans for the town centre going forward.