[WillowTheWhisp]

I have a feeling that the answer to this one is that the money is earmarked for one purpose only and that if we don't use it for that we don't get it for anything else. You say we are a poor town. Perhaps then it's good that we receive a lottery grant to use in this way.

Positive tends to spiral upwards and negative tends to spiral downwards.

We have plenty of charity shops and pounds shops and cheapo shops which attract poorer people. Perhaps with more frivolous (as you see it) ventures and more fun things we can attract different people. which would ultimately attract different shops which would attract different people so we can aim for an upward trend.