Take Back the High Street
The UK’s high streets, the beating hearts of our communities, have reached a critical tipping point.
Three decades of decline because of the growth of out-of-town retail; the rise of megastores; and more recently a seismic shift towards online shopping, has left the high street vulnerable. Over reliant on retail, the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the decline.
We are perilously close to losing these community spaces that are vital to local economies, community cohesion, civic pride, cultural identity, and local distinctiveness.
A new vision for our high streets is urgently needed. We argue that understanding the needs of local communities, giving them greater power and ownership, and enabling diversification of our high streets is essential to their survival.
We are calling for
Government to help establish a High Street Buyout Fund designed to act rapidly to purchase important empty high street buildings as they come up for sale, to hold until communities are ready to take them on long term.
Government to create a powerful Community Right to Buy that will give communities priority rights to buy high street buildings in which they have registered an interest, and a generous window of opportunity to raise the funds necessary to meet the price.
Expansion of Community Improvement Districts providing greater opportunity for communities, businesses and local government to work together to deliver strategically for neighbourhoods.
News & views
from the high street
The latest news and blogs on all things high streets.
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Our high streets,
our way
The latest case studies from communities across the country breathing life back into their high streets.
