Latest news with #highstreets
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Retailers call for urgent national action on high street crime
'Flagship' high streets, including London's Oxford Street, are at risk without urgent national action on crime, a consortium of retailers has said. Once seen as a major shopping destination, Oxford Street has struggled in recent years – becoming better known for phone snatching and sweet shops. High Streets UK, a group that represents 5,000 UK businesses, is calling for ring-fenced funding for police to protect key shopping destinations. The body includes members from business improvement districts in Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, London and Newcastle. Dee Corsi, chair of High Streets UK and chief executive of founding member New West End Company, said: 'Flagship high streets are engines of the local and national economy, drivers of tourism, and anchors for communities. But without urgent national action on crime, they are at serious risk. 'We have welcomed the Government's renewed focus on retail crime in particular. 'But we must go further and faster to tackle all types of crime affecting high streets, having a devastating effect on businesses and communities, tarnishing the UK's global reputation, and jeopardising tourism and investment.' According to the most recent official statistics, the number of shoplifting offences recorded by police in 2024 surpassed 500,000 for the first time. Ms Corsi said it is critical for additional funding for policing in the upcoming spending review to be ring-fenced for key high streets. 'The UK's flagship high streets are important cultural and economic centres – with High Street UK locations generating over £50 billion in economic value every year – yet growing complex challenges around crime and anti-social behaviour put these locations at risk,' she said. 'Take London's West End – the internationally renowned home to Oxford Street, Bond Street and Regent Street is an important driver of jobs, investment, and tourism, contributing 3% of the capital's economic activity. 'Despite this, continued underfunding of policing has left it facing real issues including anti-social behaviour, shop theft and organised business crime. 'Through the collective voice of High Streets UK, we are calling for the Government to recognise the value of these locations – as economic hubs, anchors for community, and tourism destinations – by ring-fencing dedicated police support. 'Failing to do so puts growth, and flagship high streets, at serious risk.' High Streets UK held its second quarterly meeting on Wednesday, drawing up four key points that it is urging the Government to tackle. Ms Corsi added: 'At our Safer High Streets Forum, we shared our frontline experience of the international criminal gangs, business crime, prolific offenders and anti-social behaviour affecting our high streets – none of which can be meaningfully tackled with the current systems and resources in place.' High Streets UK has called for boosted police numbers around high streets, separately measuring performance for the specific areas. It wants immediate jail terms for those who breach criminal behaviour orders, quicker sentencing for crimes linked to retail, and a focus on repeat offenders. And it is calling for national measures to tackle organised crime that affects high streets including begging gangs, and the creation of a national framework for businesses to report crime. Chief Inspector Luke Dillon, from the Metropolitan Police team responsible for policing the West End, said: 'Tackling offences such as shoplifting and phone theft remains a priority for the Met as we know the negative impact these crimes have on Londoners, tourists and businesses. 'We are working with businesses to respond to their concerns, and we have increased targeted patrols in hotspot areas to identify and deter perpetrators. We're also using new tactics, such as investing in Sur-Ron e-bikes, to help us catch more offenders.'
The Sun
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Britain's high streets turning into ‘ghosts towns' and are now overrun with vape shops and takeaways
BRITAIN'S high streets are turning into 'ghost towns', a report warns. The decline — which has sped up over the last decade — has seen assets such as banks, pharmacies, libraries and public loos vanish. 2 And many areas are now overrun by vape shops, bookies and takeaways. The change is most stark in deprived areas struggling with health and economic inequalities in the North, according to research by academics at Health Equity North. Professor Clare Bambra, from Newcastle University, said: 'You should be able to walk down a high street and feel the uniqueness, culture and identity of that community. 'Through innovative design, better public transport, and measures that promote people over cars, we can re-think these spaces so they become 'go-tos' rather than 'ghost towns'.' Her colleague Prof Adam Todd added: 'Our high streets feel like a shadow of themselves. "Protecting these spaces for the next generation isn't just about restoring them to some nostalgic vision of town centres past.' Since 2014, the number of takeaway shops has risen 24 per cent across England — 30 per cent in the most deprived areas. The amount of vape shops has risen 1,200 per cent in that time, while there are three times more bookies now in poorer places. Why are so many pubs and bars closing? 2
Entrepreneur
22-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Aditya Birla's TMRW Expands Physical Presence with LiteStore Partnership
With this partnership, TMRW and LiteStore will open 25,000 square feet of new store space in the next 18 months. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. TMRW, a modern house of fashion and lifestyle brands from the Aditya Birla Group, has partnered with LiteStore, a retail-as-a-service expert, to bring its popular online brands into physical stores across India. TMRW is home to well-known names like Wrogn, Bewakoof, The Indian Garage Co., and Nobero. These brands are loved online, but now, thanks to LiteStore, they will also be available in malls, high streets, and premium outlet centers. "As an organisation, TMRW's singular mission is to create greater value for our customers," said Manish Singhai, CBO and Business Head at TMRW. "The agility, transparency, and retail expertise offered by LiteStore helped us bring our vision to life." LiteStore is no stranger to offline success. They've helped brands like NewMe and The Pant Project open real stores. They offer everything from choosing the right location to designing and building the store, hiring staff, and managing day-to-day operations. With this partnership, TMRW and LiteStore will open 25,000 square feet of new store space in the next 18 months. Stores will include exclusive drand stores, multi-brand stores, and premium outlet centers. "Retail today is not just about presence, but about adaptability and experience," said Puneet Dinesh, Co-founder of LiteStore. "Our model allows brands to test and refine their offline strategy while remaining agile." And the results are already showing. Bewakoof opened its first store at Forum South Mall in Bangalore, along with high-street locations in HSR Layout and Koramangala. Wrogn launched its flagship outlet in HSR Layout, while Nobero opened in Amanora Mall, Pune. Other TMRW brands like Urbano, Veirdo, and Juneberry joined FLXY, a multi-brand outlet designed for Gen Z and millennials in Pune. This collaboration blends the strength of digital-first brands with the power of real-world shopping. With LiteStore's plug-and-play model, TMRW is bringing exciting, well-designed stores closer to customers across India. By working together, TMRW and LiteStore are changing the way India shops—making fashion more accessible, enjoyable, and innovative.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Business rate cuts could create 'vibrant high streets'
The Welsh government is considering cutting business rates for smaller retail shops to help them compete with online retailers and to create "more vibrant high streets".A consultation has been announced on cutting rates for retail shops paying less than £51,000 in business rates, which it estimated will affect about 13,000 rates are a tax on non-domestic properties including shops, pubs and Cymru said the proposals ignored the hospitality sector and would make Wales "a significantly worse place to do business". According to the proposals, larger properties with "rateable values" – an estimation of how much it would cost to rent a property for a year – over £100,000 could be charged slightly more, while public buildings such as hospitals and schools would be protected. If approved, the changes would start on 1 April 2026, with the exact rates set during the Welsh government's budget planning for Secretary Mark Drakeford said the proposals would "re-balance the rates system in favour of retail shops" and are aimed at supporting the sector, particularly in the face of online added the plans were part of efforts to "create more vibrant high streets" across shops are an issue in many towns across the country, and research published in 2023 found one in six shops in Wales were empty. Business rates are collected by local councils and sent to the Welsh government, which uses them to distribute funds back to local on rents is gathered and analysed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), which works out a price for the rates per square metre of the Chapman, executive director of UKHospitality Cymru, said the proposals "simply ignored and overlooked hospitality as one of the sectors most impacted long-term by the broken business rates system"."These plans would see bills dramatically hiked, by the tens of thousands for many, and force businesses to reduce their hours, cut jobs and see many close for good," he said. "It will make Wales a significantly worse place to do business and see investment in hospitality diverted to the other side of the border to England."Mr Chapman called for "wholesale revision" of the plans to ensure hospitality venues are eligible for a lower year, business owners in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, called for business rates to be re-evaluated, with one saying she paid more per square metre than those paid by major chains such as Marks & said lower business rates could help occupy empty shop consultation runs until 12 August.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Economically illiterate' Reform won't save dying high streets, says Stride
Reform UK is 'economically illiterate' and has no plan to save Britain's dying high streets, the shadow chancellor has said. Sir Mel Stride, a key Tory frontbencher, accused Nigel Farage's party of peddling 'fantasy economics' as he launched a new campaign to save Britain's high streets from Labour's tax raid. The Conservatives suffered bruising losses at the hands of Reform in this month's local elections and Sir Mel said the party would produce a 'thorough' plan to rejuvenate the country's struggling high streets and win back voters. He said: 'You don't fix struggling high streets with fantasy economics. High streets deserve serious, credible solutions, not uncosted slogans. '[Mr Farage] doesn't have a clear, credible plan, he's just making announcements. We will have a well thought-through, thorough plan that stacks up. We will want to get the tax burden down, but we will show how it can be done in a responsible way.' Sir Mel's party is licking its wounds after getting trounced by Reform at last week's local elections. The Tories lost 674 councillors and the majority control of every council it controlled. In comparison, Reform won majority control of 10 councils and 677 council seats. As part of its economic proposals, Reform has promised to abolish business rates for small businesses, introduce an online delivery tax for large multinationals, cut entrepreneurs' tax to 5pc and slash the main corporation tax rate from 25pc to 20pc. However, the shadow chancellor accused the party's manifesto of being 'largely economically illiterate'. He said Reform had 'not had the proper scrutiny that it needs and will now get in areas like the economy'. Sir Mel was speaking ahead of a visit to the last outpost of Beales, a 140-year-old retailer based in Poole, Dorset. The company has launched a 'Rachel Reeves closing down sale' to protest against the Government's tax policy and its impact on the high street. High taxes, falling consumer confidence and increased competition from online giants have all been blamed for mass closures of shops across the UK. In recent months, businesses have had to grapple with the Chancellor's decision to increase National Insurance (NI) contributions and lower the threshold at which they are paid. Bosses have warned the combination of these factors means they will have to cancel investments, pause hiring and even close down in some cases. Tony Brown, Beales' chief executive, said the combined effect of Ms Reeves's policies would cost the company more than £200,000 in added annual costs. Sir Mel said: 'It's successful, community-based, high street business that is just getting hollowed out. That is what you start to lose. We've got to get those costs down. '[Labour] has no concept of [small businesses'] importance and no concept of what it is to struggle with and fight to create a successful enterprise. 'My background is that not long after I left university, I set up my own company, and I did it sitting at the kitchen table. I got people together, and we climbed those metaphorical mountains.' The Tories' local election defeat has prompted calls for Kemi Badenoch, the party leader, to resign. However, Sir Mel said Ms Badenoch had 'taken on one of the toughest roles in British politics' and that the party would 'earn back the trust of the British people'. 'We're under new leadership. There are many things that as a party we've done in the past that we will be doing very differently,' he said. The Treasury was contacted for comment. A Reform UK spokesman said it did not usually comment on statements made by 'minor parties'. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
