The House of Lords Built Environment Committee, as part of its inquiry on high streets in towns and small cities, heard evidence from Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, as well as Alex Norris MP (pictured above), Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State in the Ministry of Housing for Communities and Local Government.
It provided an opportunity for the hearing to touch on topics that affect retailers and the wider industry. However, pre-budget, there was little commitment from Alex Norris on details around changes to business rates. “We would like retailers to be able to compete on an even footing but we cannot go into more depth before the budget.”
He also mentioned that any ‘levelling up’ funds promised or discussed with communities pre-election may well have to be reassessed after the budget. Despite this somewhat non-committal response, he went on to say: “We want to support successful high streets - that’s one of this government’s missions.”
There was also a general feeling that, if organised correctly, local communities can be useful organisations to implement change on the high street. The meeting spoke of the need give these communities more useful tools to allow empty premises to be used.
Discussion as to the impact out of town shopping centres on more traditional high streets followed. The committee asked whether the fortunes of both should be increasingly determined by local authorities. In response, Baroness Taylor said there was room for both in the retail landscape, providing there was growth to sustain this. However, she acknowledged that the high street was not the only driver of growth, and that it too is evolving. She added that there may well be new areas of growth to be focused on, and that it should be a “matter for devolution and local communities to work out what’s best.”
Finally, on the subject of crime, Alex Norris went on to say that empty premises on high streets can often signal higher levels of crime. He noted that often, the viability of potential stores and a desire to keep their staff safe was a priority for retailers considering opening a store in any location, and that progress to keep crime down and fill any empty stores could form part of a “virtuous cycle” for the high street, with success breeding success.
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