Town Centres
Debate between Luke Murphy and Jo Platt(4 weeks, 1 day ago)
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Luke Murphy
I fully agree, but I will leave it there—for the sake of time, I will be short in agreeing with interventions.
None the less, like many towns and villages across the country, Basingstoke’s town centre is a hub of remarkable independent businesses that continue to thrive, despite years of neglect, from the unique offerings of Afrizi and the cherished Willows to the flavours of the Chennai Express and the ever-popular Festival Street Kitchen. These diverse ventures highlight the incredible entrepreneurial spirit in our town. The wealth of talent and creativity showcases the untapped potential of small business owners in our town, who deserve greater support and investment.
Jo Platt (Leigh and Atherton) (Lab/Co-op)
My hon. Friend is making some excellent points about our high streets. The Government’s recent move to introduce high street rental auctions is a game changer for places such as Leigh and Atherton. Local businesses such as local construction firm WJ Structures are eager to regenerate, but are often held back by obstructive landlords. Does my hon. Friend agree that empowering businesses with a genuine stake in the area will only boost the local economy? It will create jobs and foster skills and training for industry in communities such as mine.
Luke Murphy
I fully agree with my hon. Friend and look forward to seeing auctions playing a role in rejuvenating high streets such as those in Basingstoke and in her constituency. I also welcome the Government’s action on small business access loans in the Budget, with £250 million for the British Business Bank’s small business loan programmes.
We know that the high streets of tomorrow will not look like those of the past. The modern consumer is looking for more than a place to shop. They are looking for an experience, and a reason to visit that goes beyond everyday retail. Independent, forward-facing business owners such as those running the Dice Tower and the Post Box in Basingstoke, which provide engaging experiences alongside the food and drink offerings, show that they already understand the habits of their customers. Events and experiences are clearly the future of the high street.
Innovation is the way forward for our town centres. A shift towards more diverse, mixed-use developments, integrating housing, leisure, culture, banking hubs, centres of education and public services, will help to create more vibrant high streets where people want to spend time and money. Alongside innovation, we must also address the factors that deter footfall.