Save our High Streets
Our high streets should be places people are proud to visit, shop, work and spend time. But too many are being held back by empty shops, anti-social behaviour, shoplifting and rising costs for local businesses.
Lisa Smart MP and the Liberal Democrats have a plan to bring life back to our high streets – and Lisa is fighting to make sure Hazel Grove gets the investment and support it deserves.
Stockport is showing what can be done
Here in Stockport, Liberal Democrat-led Stockport Council is delivering record investment in our high streets and district centres, helping create cleaner, safer and more welcoming places for local communities.
But councils cannot do this alone. After years of Conservative Governments failing to tackle the decline of our high streets, it’s now time for the Labour Government to step up.
Join the fight for our high streets
Lisa is calling on the Labour Government to step up and give our high streets the support they need.
Sign Lisa's petition
Add your name to the campaign and show the Government that people across Hazel Grove Constituency want action to save our high streets.
People are rightly worried about the future of our high streets. We need action to bring empty shops back into use, make our streets cleaner and safer, and give local businesses the support they need to thrive. While Lib Dem-led Stockport Council is investing locally, the Government need to step up.
Lisa Smart MP
The Lib Dems' plan
Boosting Local Business and Cutting Costs
Our high streets cannot thrive if shops sit empty and small businesses are taxed out of existence. We are calling for immediate action to lower the barriers for local traders:
- An Emergency VAT Cut: A temporary cut in VAT from 20% to 15% for hospitality, visitor accommodation, and attractions to boost footfall and help families with the cost of living.
- Business Rates Reform: Replacing unfair business rates with a Commercial Landowner Levy to shift the tax burden from struggling tenants to commercial landowners, to stop penalising productive business investment and use land and buildings more efficiently.
- Cracking Down on "Ghost" Landlords: Requiring overseas landlords to provide UK contact details and closing loopholes that allow units to be leased to shell companies.
An "Out of Town" Levy: Ensuring large-scale out-of-town developments contribute to a fund that reinvests directly into our high streets.
Creating Spaces People Love
A successful town centre must be more than just a place to shop; it must be a place to belong. Our plan focuses on design, culture, and community:
- Community Hubs: Making it easier to convert vacant shops into community spaces without bogged-down planning rules.
- High Street Culture & Community Fund: Partnering with the Arts Council to provide five-year grants for community-led cultural initiatives and local events.
- Community Investment Schemes: A “High Streets Back Home” scheme allowing local people to invest directly in their community - by supporting community asset purchases, restoring heritage buildings or backing local enterprise space.
Homes Above Shops: Encouraging the conversion of upper floors into quality housing to bring residents - and life - back to the heart of town.
Safe, Clean, and Accessible
No one wants to visit a high street where they don't feel secure. We are taking a zero-tolerance approach to the issues that drive shoppers away:
- Tackling Organised Shoplifting: Calling on the National Crime Agency to set up a dedicated unit to dismantle the organised gangs targeting our local stores.
- Smarter Design: Investing in strategic lighting and CCTV to discourage anti-social behaviour.
- Better Access: Funding high-quality pedestrianisation projects and promoting active travel while reviewing parking charges to ensure they support, rather than hinder, evening and weekend footfall.