A Cumbrian MP has joined the call for a raft of measures – including scrapping closing times for pubs and bars – to give high streets a fighting chance post-coronavirus.
John Stevenson, who represents Carlisle, has joined with other northern Conservative MPs to demand that the Prime Minister delivers on the promises he made during his leadership campaign for the Government.
The proposals follow last month’s announcement which saw the NRG pushing the Government to level up the places like Carlisle.
In the recent plans for high streets across the North, the NRG has called on the Government to liberalise Use Class Orders and introduce business rates holidays for businesses that move to the high street.
The NRG believes that these proposals would be the radical shake-up needed to let northern high streets flourish.
Mr Stevenson said: “The high streets across Carlisle are the beating heart of the community and are the original and local social network.
“While the Government’s High Street Strategy is welcome, we must now deliver for high street businesses across the Carlisle constituency.
“The Government must release high street businesses from the shackles of regulation and remove the barriers that prevent many from shopping locally.
“For too long issues such as high parking charge costs have driven people away from local businesses to large shopping centres or online.
“It’s time we levelled the playing field to level up our high streets.
“Our plan for the high streets tears down the barriers and blows away the cobwebs to unlock the true potential of our town and city centres to have a post-pandemic bloom.”
The group of Conservative MPs has put out a list of plans for the high street that the NRG says should be a key part of the UK Government’s high street strategy.
- Rollback planning red tape by abolishing planning restrictions on the use of shops.
- 1 year of free business rates for all new high street businesses.
- Tailored start-up loans for new high street businesses.
- Time-limited free parking and a referendum lock for local traders on increases in charges.
- Business Improvement Districts for every local high street.
- Keep cash as king on the high street by scraping business rates on free to use cash machines.
- A National High Street Perfect Day to bring the community together.
- Local discount cards sent to every resident with their council tax bill.
- Create a café society with a buzzing night time economy with closing times scrapped.
- Dynamic and diverse high streets improved public open space.
