High streets across England suffering from vacant shopfronts, declining footfall and a loss of essential independent retailers are set for a major revival as the government unveils a £150 million investment package aimed at restoring pride, vibrancy and local community spirit.
The funding will target places that have been hit hardest in recent years, supporting areas most in need of regeneration and helping residents reconnect with their town centres.
The investment forms part of the government’s wider path to renewal, seeking to reverse long‑term decline and strengthen the role of high streets as vital community hubs. The new funding will support local independent businesses, improve and restore neglected shopfronts, and reopen empty retail units, whilst also encouraging residents back into their town centres.
This marks the first stage of the government’s upcoming High Streets Strategy, announced earlier this week.
The government says local communities will be central to delivering the regeneration, with decisions driven by “people who know their neighbourhoods best”. The investment aims to create thriving, welcoming high streets by supporting local businesses such as butchers, grocers and bakeries – essential services that many areas have lost.
The approach is part of a wider government commitment to “choose unity over division”, empowering communities and councils to shape their own future.
The new £150 million package builds on several initiatives already underway to strengthen community life and boost local economies, including:
- Giving councils new powers to refuse applications for additional betting shops and vape stores
- Supporting over 1,000 local pubs offering additional community services
- Delivering regeneration in more than 330 of the most deprived communities through the Pride in Place programme
These efforts aim to protect valued local facilities, encourage investment and restore the sense of pride people feel in where they live.
Communities Secretary Steve Reed said:
“Our high streets are the beating heart of Britain – where communities come together and local businesses can grow.
“Town centres have suffered from high streets falling into decline, and that is why we’re taking action to turn the tide with this crucial investment and more to come.
“We have listened to what people are telling us and that’s why we’re giving them the power and control to breathe new life back into our high streets and restore the sense of pride communities feel, building on our transformational Pride in Place programme.”
The government has also taken broader steps to support the future of high streets, including:
- A new community right to buy, introduced through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, giving local people more power to save treasured community assets
- Preventing the loss of the last remaining pub or community facility in an area
- Action to curb the proliferation of betting shops on high streets
These measures aim to put local communities back in control and ensure high streets remain vibrant, accessible and community‑focused.
Full details of the High Streets Strategy, including how the £150 million will be allocated to specific locations, will be announced in the coming months.
Image credit: iStock
