Newsroom

Anger at town centre "rescue" package

The BPF has criticised government plans to help high streets this morning as being too little, too late, focusing almost exclusively on Labour heartlands and not even mentioning 'enterprise'.

John Denham, the secretary of state for Communities and Local Government, launched a £3m fund to help 57 local authorities find creative ways to use their empty shops and re-open them as facilities for communities. Each council will receive a grant of more than £50,000 to use, for example encouraging empty shops to be used for music practice, a meeting place or a showroom for local artists.

The word ‘enterprise’ is conspicuously absent from the proposals.

The spread of funding also prioritises Labour councils and ignores areas with high vacancy rates simply because they’re not classified as ‘deprived’. According to information from the Local Data Company publicised by the BPF, there is a far broader spread of town centres with high levels of empty shops across the country, including many in areas such as London and the South East, that will not get help.

Similar moves by Denham's predecessor Hazel Blears to move artists into shops were dismissed by both the property and creative industries.

Ian Fletcher, BPF director of commercial policy, said:

"First we had Hazel Blears’ craft fair solution and now we have £50,000 hand outs that are barely a drop in the ocean compared to the extent of the problem. The £3m pot is dwarfed by the additional taxation being raked in through empty property taxes and a host of other new taxes on occupiers. The allocation of funds also seems highly skewed towards Labour councils, rather those with greatest vacancy rates.

"However worthwhile supporting creative industries may be, it will only ever scratch the surface of this issue. The word 'enterprise' is conspicuously absent from the release and announcements. Any package should include Government measures to encourage new businesses into our town centres."

For more information contact Andrew Teacher on 07968 12 45 45 or ateacher@bpf.org.uk