Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester, has announced a landmark £20 million investment aimed at transforming local high streets, supporting independent businesses and strengthening community pride across the city-region.
The newly created Good Growth High Streets Fund will provide financial backing to local businesses, business networks, voluntary organisations and community groups with ambitious ideas to improve and revitalise their high streets.
The initiative forms part of Our High Streets, a wider mayoral campaign designed to help communities shape the future of the places where people live, shop and socialise throughout Craig's first term in office.
Greater Manchester has experienced significant economic growth over the past decade, outperforming every other UK city-region. The new fund aims to ensure more communities feel the benefits of that success directly in their neighbourhoods.
Applications for the £20 million fund are expected to open later this year, with projects focused on strengthening local economies, supporting community-led regeneration and creating vibrant town centres that attract residents and visitors alike.
As part of the programme, the Mayor is also inviting businesses, community organisations and local leaders to join a new High Streets Taskforce, which will help shape and deliver the city's long-term vision for high streets across Greater Manchester.
Speaking about the initiative, Bev Craig said:
“Our high streets are the beating hearts of our communities, and people want to feel pride about where they live. They are rightly worried and frustrated when they see derelict pubs, boarded-up shops and dodgy operators, and independent traders moving away. They want to see practical support for local businesses now. And that’s why I’m taking action. Our new £20 million Good Growth High Streets Fund is all about restoring pride in a vibrant high street – backing our neighbourhoods and spreading the rewards of good economic growth everywhere.”
The announcement builds on Greater Manchester's broader economic ambitions. Last year, regional leaders published a 10-year plan focused on creating a thriving city-region where residents can enjoy a good quality of life while businesses continue to grow and invest.
Ensuring local voices are heard and maintaining attractive, successful high streets are key priorities within that strategy. Officials believe thriving town centres are essential to both economic prosperity and community wellbeing.
The new fund complements existing investment programmes, including the Foundational Economy Innovation Fund, which supports community-led projects in sectors that provide everyday services and needs, many of which operate on local high streets.
It also sits alongside the region's wider £2 billion Good Growth Fund, which is supporting major regeneration schemes, creating jobs and unlocking new opportunities across Greater Manchester.
The plans were launched in Middleton, where local businesses, residents and community organisations are already helping to reshape the town centre. The area has become a flagship example of how local ambition and partnership working can drive long-term regeneration.
Further transformation is expected through plans for a Mayoral Development Corporation for Middleton, co-chaired by actor and campaigner Steve Coogan and Rose Marley. The corporation aims to accelerate town centre regeneration and support the delivery of around 1,500 new homes.
With significant investment, community involvement and long-term political backing, Greater Manchester's latest high street initiative signals a renewed focus on ensuring economic growth is felt in every neighbourhood across the city-region.
Image credit: iStock
