The Priory Centre in St Neots has been declared an official breast-feeding friendly venue after councillors voted through a motion to make sure the town is inclusive.

St Neots Town Council has said it wants to make the town welcoming and inclusive for residents and visitors to enjoy and the breast-feeding venue initiative plays a part in that.

The council is hoping other venues will get involved in the initiative and will be contacting businesses in the town inviting them to take part and display specially designed posters and window stickers that show they are a breast-feeding friendly venue.

St Neots mayor, Cllr Ben Pitt, said: “This is a great example of how the town council can improve its own operations while inspiring others too.

"We want to make St Neots a welcoming environment for everyone, and I'm sure this superb initiative will receive widespread support. It's also great to see our new intake of councillors making a difference.

"Heartfelt thanks go to Cllr Dundas-Todorov for driving this initiative.”

Concerns about breast-feeding in public areas can include feelings of embarrassment as well as negative attitudes from those also using the public facilities, and have been identified as one of the main barriers to breast-feeding.

People can often be put off visiting a new place if they are unsure of how comfortable they will be to feed their baby there.

Cllr Katie Dundas-Todorov, who submitted the motion to the town council, said: “Although breast-feeding in public has been legally protected for over a decade, I know from personal experience as a breast-feeding mum how daunting it can be to nurse in public. This is especially true when you're new to it or in unfamiliar surroundings.

"With unanimous support by the Town Council, I'm excited to see our new Breast-feeding Friendly logo and poster in the Priory Centre. I hope that by displaying these and encouraging other local eateries to follow suit, breast-feeding people will feel more confident and comfortable to nurse all around St Neots.”