A new initiative could help communities across England rescue and revamp beloved buildings and businesses at risk of closure, including pubs.
It’s part of a £210m package of measures to transform derelict high street buildings announced by the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government.
Through the new £125m Derelict Buildings Fund, government will support local authorities to transform buildings into what their communities need, from health centres to civic spaces.
An additional £65m will help communities save amenities like pubs and sports clubs from closure, while a further £20m will be split equally between High Street Rental Auctions, letting out properties vacant for 12 months or more, and a new Co-operative Development Programme so local people share in their high street’s success.
“People don’t measure growth by looking at a spreadsheet,” said prime minister Andy Burnham. “They measure it by looking at their local high street. Are shops opening or are the shutters down? Does the place feel like it’s moving forward or being left behind?
“The truth is that too many high streets have been left to hollow out, leaving town centres a shell of what they once were. That must change, and today’s funding will help put power back into the hands of locals who know their area best.
“That’s how we restore pride and bring hope back. Not by telling people things are getting better, but by giving them the power to see and feel the difference where they live.”
