The body representing businesses in Keighley’s town centre is throwing its weight behind plans to celebrate the Tour de France’s arrival in July.

Keighley Town Centre Association (KTCA) is supporting to a range of decorative activities designed to get the town’s commercial heart fully involved in the occasion.

Tour cyclists and the accompanying convoy of sponsors and security vehicles will pass through the town centre on July 6.

The KTCA is encouraging retailers across the town to be a part of the Grand Depart by entering a shop window competition to help show a welcoming face to the thousands of spectators.

A pair of Keighley shops that were the joint winners of a similar window display contest last year are backing the initiative.

Helen Jennings, of the Flower Shop in North Street, said: “It’s great to join in and create exciting windows – it draws more attention to the smaller local retailers in Keighley.”

Joanne Smith-Travers, of nearby Personal Ice, said: “We enjoy being involved in this type of competition. Our customers like seeing the displays and new people visit our shop too.”

KTCA chairman, Steve Seymour, said: “It will be great to see the town’s retailers getting behind the Tour de France, turning a commercial window space into something creative and colourful.

“It will bring added interest for shoppers and tourists alike, and I look forward to seeing what ideas people come up with.”

The competition runs until June 27, when two independent judges will pick the best display to win a trophy.

The judges will look for the most original and eye-catching display that reflects the Tour de France.

KTCA organisers have suggested Cavendish Street businesses might want to use this an opportunity to celebrate their road’s namesake, cyclist Mark Cavendish. Call (01535) 618095 for further information.

As part of its plans to decorate the town centre in time for the Tour, the association is also funding three large, painted cut-out cycle shapes – two for fixing to the gable ends of buildings and one freestanding cut-out to be moved around the town.

The group also intends to paint a ten metre-long ‘Lovekeighley.com’ logo on North Street, using a stencil and temporary road paint, which will be seen by helicopter camera crews covering the event.