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The government is to get retail guru Mary Portas to review the country’s high streets to examine how to stop increasing shop vacancy rates and to increase the number of independent stores.
Portas will look at how to prevent the growth of "clone towns" dominated by chainstores and how to boost small traders.
Its aim is to identify what government, local authorities and businesses can do to promote the development of more prosperous and diverse high streets.
Vacancy rates have more than doubled to 14.5 per cent on high streets over the past two years, hit by the weak economy and a trend for retailing to move out of town or online.
The television presenter and retail consultant will lead the independent review, carried out for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and report back in the autumn.
Portas will undertake visits to several town centres and participate in "engagement events" with shop-owners and customers.
The star of Mary Queen of Shops and Secret Shopper said the doubling of town centre vacancy rates over the last two years means the need to take action to save the high street has "never been starker".
She said: "I am calling on businesses, local authorities and shoppers to contribute their ideas on how we can halt this decline in its tracks and create town centres that we can all be proud of."
The prime minister said: "The high street should be at the very heart of every community, bringing people together, providing essential services and creating jobs and investment. So, it is vital that we do all that we can to ensure they thrive.
"That is why I am delighted that Mary Portas has agreed to take on this review and I am confident that her straight-talking, no-nonsense approach will help us to create vibrant and diverse town centres and bring back the bustle to our high streets."
Retailers welcomed the appointed but stressed they were keen to see an even-handed approach, with no attempt to restrict consumer choice.
Stephen Robertson, director general of the British Retail Consortiumsaid: "High streets are the heart of local communities and economies, providing jobs and essential services but some are in trouble.
"The government is right to recognize the future of our high streets cannot be left to chance but it must take a positive approach that supports retailers of all types and sizes."
Article Comments
This plan needs to interconnect with the values of social enterprising, while aiming to develop innovation in the minds of our young people, and others who have been waiting for this surge of Inspiration and Motivation to re-develop foot-fall in our High Street and increase new businesses that is currently only being led by the BIG supermarket chains.
Local government has FAILED to provide schemes that do MORE to encourage broad-minds and inspire new ideas to business & enterprise. We have continually seen an upsurge of Tesco and Sainsbury stores in our Town centre's and High streets - wiping away the local trademen that truly help to inspire and motivate the neighbours and streets where relationships are built and new opportunities SHOULD be encouraged and strengthened to grow.
The government is 'out of touch' with the reasons why local Small Businesses are opportunistic for encouraging local communities. Young people need to see and believe that it is achieveable. They can only feel inspired when they acknowledge on their door-steps neighbours who own a Butcher, a Hi-Fi shop, clothes store, Games shop ... etc. Between the Local Communities Department and Business, Innocation & Skills department, they lack a true understanding of the challenges that people face in their everyday lives. It is those people who may have all these ideas for business, but they are not being taken seriously, nor are they being targeted in order that they can grow what may be a small idea into a BIG long-term opportunity.
Our Politicians are truly out of touch!!
IAS
9th Jun 2011 at 6:05 pm
Re Joy Rudd - are you not getting small business rate relief? You should probably not be paying any rates at the moment - speak to Brentwood Council.
MJ - Ingatestone
17th May 2011 at 10:10 pm
I ran a small shoe shop in Ingatestone for 12 years - this was successful and still survives simply because it is not the main income for the shopkeeper. The biggest problem in small high streets is the high rentals. We know the landlords need to get something back from their investments but mostly they are too greedy and end up with empty shops.
Small shops cannot compete with the big stores and have to offer something more individually chosen for their customers but still cannot ever expect to make a lot of profit. The answer lies with the landlords or even some help with business rates from the local councils if they want small shops to survive.
Parking fees for shop assistants working in small shops should be subsidised. It costs at least 4 pounds a day in our village in the local car park.
Joy Rodd
17th May 2011 at 1:45 pm
Waltham Abbey in Essex is hosting white water rafting events for the Olympics 2012 and the town centre is an embarrassment. It's like a ghost town with shops closed, pound shops opening everywhere and pubs boarded up.
It is such a pretty town and desperately needs an overhaul.
Help!!!!
Sandra Tippett
17th May 2011 at 12:48 pm
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