The Future of the High Street

Acknowledges the financial support provided by the Government for high streets but emphasises the necessity of proper consultation with local communities.

Critiques the Conservative Government's handling of the high street crisis, pointing out job losses, business closures, and inadequate support for businesses under tiered restrictions. Advocates for fairer business rates and opposes government planning reforms that convert retail units into flats. Stresses the importance of supporting councils and community spaces.

Mr Moore highlighted the importance of his local high street, Lord Street in Southport, and acknowledged the support given to businesses during the COVID crisis. He emphasised the need for recalibrating business rates and increasing footfall to enhance high street sustainability. Mr Moore also pointed out issues with parking charges and urged the Government to intervene under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. Additionally, he discussed his town's involvement in a town deal and encouraged ongoing support for small businesses.

High street businesses and workers have suffered immensely during the pandemic, despite support. The Scottish Government have invested £4 million for towns and business improvement districts to revitalise high streets. We need direct investment from the government to help urban centres adapt to changes in how we live and work. Business rates relief has helped many businesses survive but needs to continue. The SNP calls for a fiscal stimulus of £98 billion, including extending the furlough scheme if necessary, increasing universal credit, and ensuring sick pay covers essential expenses. Taxation must be rebalanced between physical and online retail to avoid hollowing out town centres.

Lockdown has highlighted the vulnerability of high street shops, especially small independent ones. Online commerce cannot replace the services offered by physical stores and must be addressed to level the playing field. The digital services tax helps but does not solve all issues such as business rates. Cheadle received £500,000 from the towns fund for future infrastructure development. High streets need local communities' involvement and should offer accessible parking and electric charging points, along with good public transport links to thrive. Businesses and employees must innovate; otherwise, we face closed high streets. We should not rush back to pre-pandemic conditions but reimagine our high streets.

High streets have faced challenges from out-of-town retail parks and online shopping for the past 10-20 years. Solutions include addressing business rates, introducing an internet sales tax, protecting green spaces through brownfield-first policies, and converting upper floors of retail units into residential spaces. High streets need to offer unique services such as beauty salons, hairdressers, pubs, cafés, and classes like cake decorating or music lessons to attract more people. The Government’s towns fund should be used effectively to regenerate cities and protect small businesses that were heroes during the pandemic.

Ballymena, my constituency, faces a significant crisis with footfall down by 70% in many shops. Empty shop units resemble missing teeth from a sad face, highlighting the urgency for action. Retailers need proper investment, not gimmicks like social distancing road layouts. We must address long-term rate relief issues and encourage people to live in town centres again to revive high street café culture and community interaction. The Government should support our high streets by saving them as they did with the NHS.

I oppose the decision to withdraw duty-free shopping in the UK and VAT rebates, which is dubbed the 'tourist tax'. The Treasury's policy lacks data support and may cost up to 40,000 jobs across the country. It affects luxury brands and whisky industry in Scotland among others. I urge reconsideration of this decision due to its potential significant negative impact on high-value shopping areas such as Edinburgh, Dundee, London, Manchester, and Leeds. In my constituency, many shops are closing due to covid; we need car parking measures, broadband, and rates reform along with the Government's towns fund support.

Charalambous discussed the challenges faced by high streets due to the pandemic, noting a significant decline in footfall and increased online retail sales. He highlighted concerns of small independent businesses regarding business rates, rents, competition from online sellers, and infrastructure issues. Emphasising the social role of high streets beyond mere transactions, he called for support from local councils and advocated against relaxing planning laws that could reduce the number of retail units, urging a rethinking on tax policies to level the playing field with online retailers.

Cash raised concerns about plans by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council (SMDC) for Cheadle town centre projects. He criticised the lack of transparency and proper consultation regarding proposed changes, including the closure of community facilities and housing development on car parks. He requested a local referendum and urged the Minister to ensure appropriate consultation and accountability from SMDC, emphasising the importance of such measures in achieving levelling up objectives.

Hendry praised frontline retail workers and highlighted the critical role of small businesses on high streets. He noted the decline in footfall due to large retailers' closures and advocated for innovative support measures, including tax relief and changes in borrowing rules. He called for a shift towards ethical and local purchasing practices as part of the evolution of high street commerce.

Villiers acknowledged the long-standing challenges faced by high streets due to online shopping trends, exacerbated by the pandemic. She advocated for further reforms in business rates for small retailers and fair taxation for large online retailers. Supporting government efforts on the digital services tax, she urged Ministers to lift restrictions safely, emphasising the importance of reopening hospitality businesses to safeguard high street futures.

This debate is crucial at a time when high streets are struggling due to the latest lockdowns and inadequate financial support from the Government. The survival of these unique, local businesses that form part of our communities' fabric is vital for economic prosperity. Indoor markets like Stockport’s are full of independent traders who make our towns unique but lack meaningful support during the pandemic, leading to job losses and store closures.

High streets need rejuvenation through more leisure, hospitality, and housing to become destinations rather than just shopping events. Business rates reform is needed with a significant reduction as they are now at 51% compared to corporation tax at 19%. I urge the Government to review business rates and VAT retail export scheme to attract international visitors.

The health of retail, hospitality, and tourism sectors in South Lakeland is crucial. I urge the Government to be more generous towards these businesses as many are at risk or have closed due to the pandemic. Business rates must be abolished and replaced by taxes on revenue and sales to ensure online giants are not subsidised by independent shops. Chains also play a vital role, but many people work for themselves in rural communities who need support from the Government.

The debate focuses on the challenges faced by high streets, with Sir David Amess highlighting the impact of online retail and the pandemic. He mentioned that Amazon flights disturb local residents but benefit Amazon's business growth while avoiding taxes. He also emphasised the importance of independent retailers in thriving local economies and suggested working together between Government and local councils to support the retail industry.

Ms Liz Twist highlighted the significant role high streets play in her constituency, where 28% of jobs are in the retail sector. She emphasised the importance of supporting smaller groups of shops and charity shops facing difficulties due to the pandemic. Ms Twist also acknowledged the key workers who kept communities going during lockdowns.

Mr Mike Wood discussed the struggles faced by high streets in his constituency, highlighting Brierley Hill as an example. He stressed the need for high streets to adapt to modern shopping trends and the importance of short-term support, particularly for hospitality venues during Christmas.

Ms Wera Hobhouse called for an immediate reset of a level playing field between high street businesses and online retailers. She highlighted the social value of shared spaces, emphasising the need to think differently about designing vibrant high streets that can contribute to future wellbeing.

The Government must expand their agenda for high streets by focusing on reforming the planning system, rate system and VAT, encouraging innovation. Smaller towns like Ashbourne, Bakewell, Matlock and Wirksworth in Derbyshire need support beyond major schemes such as the town fund. Independent businesses in these areas are essential to local economies but require reduced red tape, car parking fee abolition and universal broadband access.

Tier 3 restrictions imposed on Coventry despite steady decline of transmission rates compared to London’s increasing rates are hurting businesses disproportionately. The Telegraph Hotel in Coventry, having invested heavily for a safe reopening, was forced to cancel plans due to these restrictive measures. The high street needs support tailored to the severity and impact of local restrictions.

The high streets are struggling with closures like those seen at IKEA and Debenhams, exacerbated by tier 3 restrictions. Amazon’s wealth has soared during the pandemic while small businesses struggle; its tax avoidance and poor working conditions contribute to a lack of fair competition for local shops.

Retail workers have shown resilience during the pandemic. The high street needs adaptive changes, supported by schemes such as the future high streets fund and town deals. Reducing business rates burden is crucial for retailers' viability; innovation like independent bookstores and micropubs must be celebrated.

Maskell highlighted the severe impact of high property rates on independent businesses in York, emphasising the need for reforming business rates to a turnover or profit-related tax system. She also discussed the shift from business improvement districts to community improvement districts and proposed more family-friendly spaces to revitalise local economies.

Hunt discussed initiatives like Small Business Saturday best-dressed shop window competition and online shopping services in Loughborough. She raised concerns about the need for town deal funding and reforming business rates, advocating for commercial properties to include residential space to create vibrancy.

Shah emphasised that high streets are not just economic entities but part of community identity. He highlighted the decline in physical retail and closures since 2010, stressing the need for fair business rates to support businesses in the north and midlands.

Tolhurst emphasised the positive outlook for UK high streets, highlighting government support during the pandemic including rate relief and grants. She defended against criticisms by mentioning specific initiatives like the future high streets fund and town deals, as well as business rate review and VAT RES adjustments. Tolhurst acknowledged issues like parking charges but maintained a focus on local autonomy in decision-making.

Laing provided brief remarks praising the debate's quality, noting that it was more effective due to concise and focused speeches from all sides.