Queen Of Shops Submits High Street Report

Celebrity retail expert Mary Portas has published her report into the UK's retail sector, telling the Government how to rejuvenate city centres and advocating 'town teams'.

The report sets out Ms Portas' "ambitious" recommendations focus on what can be done by government, local authorities and business to help high streets deliver "something new".

Her suggestions include a strengthening of the management of high streets through new ‘town teams’, ensuring a strong town-centre-first approach in planning and encouraging large retailers to show their support for high streets and looking at disincentives for landlords leaving properties vacant and empowering local authorities to step-in when landlords are negligent.

The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister commissioned the report in May after figures showed town centre vacancy rates were doubling in the space of two years.

Commenting on the report, David Cameron said: “The high street should be at the very heart of every community, bringing people together, providing essential services and creating jobs and investment; so it is vital that we do all that we can to ensure they thrive.

“I am delighted that Mary Portas has produced such a clear vision of how we can create vibrant and diverse town centres and breathe life back into our high streets. The Government will now review Mary’s recommendations and we will publish our response next spring.”

Ms Portas recommendation are expected to be piloted in a number of areas in 2012.

Also reposponding to the report, Labour's Chuka Ummuna said his party had been calling for action to help struggling high streets and shops up and down the country by promoting the positive use of empty shops and giving local people the power to shape retail plans for their area and by introducing a competition test in the planning system.

“A temporary VAT cut, which we have called on the Government to enact as part of Labour’s five point plan for jobs and growth, would put £450 in the pocket of each family and would provide real help for high streets now," Mr Ummuna said.

He added: “The Government must act urgently to tackle the problems which Mary Portas identifies in her report, give full consideration to her recommendations and ensure that her efforts do not go to waste."

The report is published alongside new Government-commissioned research, ‘Understanding High Street Performance’, which found that a third of UK high streets are degenerating or failing, that less than 40% of retail spending will be on the high street by 2014 and that over the last decade, out of town retail floor space has risen by 30% while in town has shrunk by 14%.

The Government said it was already taking action to help local shops, including extending small business rate relief and cutting National Insurance for employers.

(DW)