The minister said the 7 towns, which will receive a share of the £1 million High Street Renewal Award, are an example to communities across the country of what can be done to breathe new life into their high streets.
Judged by a panel of experts including Martin Blackwell from the Association of Town and City Management and Andy Godfrey from Alliance Boots, the towns were chosen for the innovative ideas they implemented, the results they achieved and their ability to promote good practice.
The 7 towns are:
• Herne Hill, London: who by cutting red tape and putting power in the hands of local people, have created a thriving town square and market in the heart of the community
• Northam Road, Southampton: where strong local leadership and public/private partnership is bringing this high street back to life and transforming it into a regional antiques centre
• Altrincham, Greater Manchester: where landlords and retailers are working together to bring empty shops back into use, while the council is also encouraging more people to visit the high street by lowering parking charges
• Ipswich: who, by reorienting their town centre and linking it to a new waterfront development, are regenerating the area
• Market Rasen, Lincolnshire: who are ‘putting the market back into Market Rasen’ by strengthening the local market and setting up community shops to offer local products
• Gloucester: who are supporting local start-ups and growing businesses, resulting in record new company registrations in the area
• Rotherham: who are focusing their strategy on creating a differentiated shopping offer with independent businesses filling their empty premises, whilst also increasing consumer satisfaction and driving footfall
Mark Prisk said:
The High Street Renewal Award has encouraged towns to ‘up their game’ and put their best ideas to work in order to save their high streets, and we were delighted to see the high level of applications from all over the country.
These are just 7 of the many towns that came forward, and they are a shinning example of what can be achieved. I would like to congratulate them for the innovative and interesting ways in which they have given their high street a new lease of life.
It is in everyone’s interests to see our town centres thrive, and I want people across the country to take inspiration from these towns and look at what can be done when communities work together.
Martin Blackwell, chief executive of the Association of Town and City Management, said:
The public recognises that high streets are important and are responding with their feet, purses and wallets. Some really interesting ideas have emerged from this competition that all town centres can learn from and take heart from. I have no doubt that they will do just that.
Alex Gourlay, Chief Executive of the Health and Beauty Division at Alliance Boots, said:
Boots UK strongly supports the pursuit of creating healthy and prosperous high streets which can be essential, if not the most critical, ingredient in supporting the regeneration of local communities.
High streets are vital for the health of our communities, providing services and support that are accessible and within easy walking distance for many people.
We are proud to have supported this competition, and to be working with others also committed to the future of our high streets and ensuring their growth and success in years to come.
