A TOWN centre is due to benefit from free Wi-Fi in a move designed to increase trade.

Shoppers and visitors in Ulverston will soon be able to browse the web for free as they traverse the town’s independent stores and cobbled streets.

Work has started to install the infrastructure and will last all week.

By the end of the week, the town centre will be served by a comprehensive signal, with a number of points emitting the wireless internet waves.

The technology has been six months in the planning and is being installed by Ulverston’s Business Improvement District, which aims to boost trade for town centre retailers.

Justin Wales, project officer for the BID, hoped the new internet offering would do exactly that.

He said: “This will be a big boost for traders in the town centre.

“We will be able to market the town more effectively.

“The plan is when people come to visit the town centre and sign-up to the Wi-Fi, we will able to show them a page telling them about all the businesses in the town and notifying them of future events we are holding.

“It will mean people can take advantage of the offers trading have.

“It’s going to mean we will be able to get out to a wider audience what the traders are offering.

“We will see how it takes off in the town. We have shared news on social media and received a really positive response from people.”

Users will redirected to the town’s LoyalFree loyalty app.

Mr Wales said Ulverston BID would use the technology to gauge town centre footfall.