Towns across the country have got their applications submitted in the hope of becoming Portas Pilots. Ministers revealed the surprisingly high level of interest whilst declaring that the Government is accepting nearly all the recommendations put forward by Mary Portas last December.
The Government has for the first time delivered its official response to the Portas High Street Review. Grant Shapps confirmed Ministers are accepting the majority of Mary’s recommendations-but that they propose to go further with a number of new incentives, bureaucracy-busting measures and funding schemes, all in a bid to revitalise the country’s neglected high streets.
Mr Shapps said: “Today, I’m accepting virtually all of the recommendations from Mary Porta’s review-but I’m also going that one step further, offering a ‘Portas-Plus’ deal, with a range of measures designed to help local people turn their high streets into the beating hearts of their communities once again.
“Mary Portas’s review made crystal clear the stark challenge our high streets face. With Internet shopping and out-of-town centres here to stay, they must offer something new if they are to entice visitors back.”
He further added: “Her report has provided the catalyst for change that many towns have been craving. I now want to see people coming together to form their own town teams and turning their creative ideas into reality to ensure their high streets thrive long into the future.”
London’s leading retail marketing consultant, Mary Portas said: “When I published my Review I was clear that this was an action plan for our high streets, not a document to gather dust on Whitehall shelves.
“I’ve been thrilled by the response of people, Town Teams and communities up and down the country, who have seized this opportunity to come together and form their own ideas. I’m pleased that the response from Grant Shapps today is designed to build on this momentum and give local people the tools they need to turn their creative ideas into reality, along with extra money to bring empty shops back into use.”
Portas further added: “Naturally I would have liked greater central intervention in critical areas such as change of use, parking, business rates and the sign off of new out of town developments and I will continue to fight for these, but I do believe that today marks the first day of a fresh new approach, putting our high streets firmly back on the public and national agenda.”
Responding to the first commendation in the review, Mr Shapps said he wanted to see hundreds of Town Teams-made up of crucial players in the local area including the council, business owners, local MPs and local landlords-being formed and organised across the country to drive forward the essential change.
He encouraged these Town Teams to contemplate:
In addition, confirming the Government was accepting a number of other key recommendations to cut red tape and tempt motorists to the town centre, Mr Shapps gave a promise to:
Tom Ironside, British Retail Consortium Director of Business, spoke of the scheme: “We’re pleased to note the Government’s made a common sense decision not to seek to restrict consumer choice in other retail locations. Avoiding imposing an exceptional sign off for out of town developments is the right approach. We also welcome the money which has been made available to enable the development of Business Improvement Districts and the steps which are being taken to reduce red tape that affects the high street. These detailed measures will be beneficial.”
He further added: “Retailers retain their concerns in relation to the excessive burden of business rates and the need for concrete action to ensure affordability, clarity and certainty for the future. We hope the Government will return to this issue soon.”
Meanwhile Sheffield is to get a £100,000 boost to help breathe new life into neglected parts of the city centre. The city centre is to become a Portas Pilot, benefiting from the project, alongside Doncaster and several other Yorkshire towns.
Previous Post
Is your Office Potty for Plants?
