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It worked for Portrush and Portstewart when the Irish Open came to town, and Londonderry is currently in the process of getting a makeover so that derelict buildings won’t detract from the City of Culture celebrations.
Now Co Fermanagh could be next in line for a spruce-up ahead of the G8 summit, according to Environment Minister Alex Attwood.
Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland has already allocated £250,000 to fund a revitalisation programme in Fermanagh to pay for shopfront dressing, town centre lighting and provision of a marquee and pop-up stalls for use in public spaces.
Mr Attwood said he had invited Fermanagh District Council to put forward proposals that will tackle decay and dereliction ahead of the G8 summit.
“I think there is an understanding round the Executive that for quite moderate means you can have a big impact,” he said.
“We wrote to all the councils and brought them in last week and they are working very intensively to try to bring forward their own decay and dereliction proposals.
“You can do a lot of good work very quickly in a lot of places. I think the traders and citizens notice it and it gives them a lot of confidence.”
Earlier this year, the minister successfully lobbied for £400,000 to spruce up Portrush and Portstewart ahead of the Irish Open.
Mr Attwood said he is hoping to take advantage of the January monitoring round which could well see a lot of money having to be spent in a short amount of time.
