High streets to be revitalised under new powers to save local pubs and libraries

Communities will be given new powers to save local pubs and libraries under plans to revitalise neglected high streets.

Unwanted betting and vapes shops, in addition to fake barbers, could be blocked from opening as part of the Government’s new Pride in Place programme.

Councils will also be given the opportunity to breathe new life into derelict buildings and boarded-up shops, under Community Right to Buy and compulsory purchase powers.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to unveil the programme on Thursday, alongside “record investment” which will support more than 330 communities.

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed said: “When people step out of their front doors, they know their communities are struggling. They see shuttered pubs, fading high streets and their local areas in decline.

“Yes, communities have been stretched but they haven’t given up. They’re working hard to make things better, and we’re backing them.

“The Government is putting power into their hands so local people decide how best to restore pride in their neighbourhoods, not us in Westminster.

“That’s what real patriotism looks like: building up our communities and choosing renewal over division.”

Funding will be given to projects which have consulted community groups, local organisations and social clubs.

The programme will tackle deep-rooted deprivation and regional inequality, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said.

Gambling shops are among the services the Government has signalled it wants to crack down on to improve high streets.

A spokesperson for the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) said the shops “are far more than just places to have a flutter: they are community hubs, economic drivers, and a vital part of the high street’s future”.

As of March 2024, there were 5,931 betting shops in Britain, a decrease on previous years, according to the Gambling Commission.

The Local Government Association welcomed the programme and called for the funding to be “allocated in a fair, flexible manner based on what local places need, with necessary support from Government to trust them to get on with the job”.

Arooj Shah, chairwoman of the LGA’s Neighbourhoods Committee, said: “Councils across the country want to do all they can to boost growth and stimulate their local economies.

“Clarity is needed on the long-term future of growth funding, so every part of the country has the resources to deliver for their communities and help achieve the Government’s commitment to boost national economic growth.”