We are nation of a thousand neighbourhoods, where our identity and sense of belonging all depend on what is around us. When the streets are clean and the high streets are thriving, times are good. But when shops are empty and crime is rife, those are the moments when we ask what is going wrong. As part of the Government’s commitment to restoring Pride in Place, we are today announcing further measures to echo the pride that people have in their town and city centres, ahead of the publication of the high streets strategy this summer.

First, we will deepen our commitment to tackling the blight of boarded-up shops, which damages the vibrancy of high streets and encourages antisocial behaviour. Since 2024, through a partnership with 12 early adopter local authorities, we have been successfully trialling high street rental auctions. These are new powers that enable councils to auction the lease of high street premises that have been empty for over a year in a two-year period, and compel the landlord to accept an offer. The experience of these councils shows that the powers are an effective lever to engage landlords, as over 60 high street shop units have been reoccupied without a rental auction needing to be held, and evidence of a tangible impact on vacancy rates. We now want to see these powers being taken up across the country, and to do this we will provide £10 million over the next two years, available to local authorities across England to apply for to fund refurbishment grants and other associated costs. This will open these spaces up to new tenants—not just taking out eyesores, but providing businesses with access to tenancies at below-market rent.

Next, we want every Pride in Place area to use their £20 million to support the local economy, so today I can announce that we will publish guidance to ensure that neighbourhood boards have all the tools they need to use local suppliers and invest in local businesses. This programme amounts to £6 billion for the most deprived communities in Britain. If we can use that to support community businesses, we can make this investment go so much further.

Finally, we are introducing changes to the business improvement districts by modernising the rule book. We will simplify voting procedures, strengthen transparency and accountability and, crucially, include property owners in the process. Across the country, businesses and BIDs have shown what they can contribute to revitalising high streets, and this Government will support them.

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