Retail guru Mary Portas has accused ministers of only making ‘token gestures’ in response to her Government-backed review on high streets.
In the three years since the former broadcaster completed her independent analysis into the future of retail centres, Government funding and support has been allocated to 27 ‘Portas Pilots’ and their Town Teams in a bid to help regions improve their retail centres.
However Portas has today questioned the success of ministerial efforts, calling for faster action to counteract ‘crippling’ business rates alongside powers for councils over empty properties.
The calls came despite announcements in the Autumn Statement for a full structural review of business rates, due for publication in 2016.
She told the BBC that there was ‘still a big job to be done. The Government has made token gestures in response to my review, but much more needs to happen, and fast’.
‘Why are there still so many empty shops left deteriorating on our high streets? Local authorities should be granted the power to take control of these premises and use them creatively or commercially for the benefit of the community.
‘Why are we still imposing crippling business rates which were established in Elizabethan times? The current system is out of date and favours online and big business. The Autumn Statement introduced some more rate relief measures, but these are just tinkering around the edges.’
Portas did admit the results of some ‘Portas Pilot’ towns had been ‘astonishing’, highlighting that a number of markets were ‘really thriving’.
She applauded the efforts of Rotherham, Market Rasen in Lincolnshire, Deal and Sherbourne, who were ‘turning their high streets around and getting on with it’.
Communities minister Penny Mordaunt said new powers given to councils and residents had ‘revived high streets up and down the country’.
‘We've brought in a simpler planning process, with less red tape and tackled over-zealous parking to help town centres thrive. And our business rate relief for many small shops has provided £1bn worth of support,’ she added.
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