Turning empty shops into art galleries and farmers markets is among the ideas to help hard-hit towns in north Norfolk tackle the recession.More than 140 delegates, from councils and agencies to businesses and voluntary bodies, attended a recession summit to pool ideas on the problems facing the district and look for quick win actions to tackle them.

Turning empty shops into art galleries and farmers markets is among the ideas to help hard-hit towns in north Norfolk tackle the recession.

More than 140 delegates, from councils and agencies to businesses and voluntary bodies, attended a recession summit to pool ideas on the problems facing the district and look for quick win actions to tackle them.

Re-using empty shops was among the initiatives which could make towns look less dilapidated, said Philip Burton, chief executive of North Norfolk District Council which staged the event.

Among others suggestions were:

an event to help those made redundant

supporting the local tourist industry which was facing a positive future with stay-at-home holidays

looking at whether the council could help businesses with a more flexible approach to planning policy and red tape

encouraging more procurement of goods and services from local companies.

Mr Burton said a full summary of the key issues and action plan would be drawn up and circulated to delegates in the next two weeks.

Following feedback it was hoped to firm up an action plan for meetings of the district cabinet and community partnership in late May and early June.

'We want to keep the momentum going with this blueprint and will monitor its delivery to show it has not just been a talking shop,' he added.

Local MP Norman Lamb, who attended the event at the Pinewood Park conference centre near Sheringham on Monday, said it was an extremely valuable and encouraging initiative which showed a 'can do attitude and determination to fight back.'