Government allocates £210m to transform empty high-street properties into community hubs
The UK government announced a £210 million package to repurpose boarded-up shops, pubs and clubs into shared workspaces, cafés and community centres, with Andy Burnham saying the money will give locals more control over their high streets.
London mayor Andy Burnham unveiled a £210 million initiative to revive struggling high streets by converting empty retail units, pubs and clubs into shared workspaces, cafés and community hubs. The plan allocates £125 million to a derelict-building fund for local councils to refurbish vacant shopping centres, cinemas and similar sites, while £65 million will assist English communities in saving and refurbishing at-risk pubs and clubs.
An additional £20 million is split evenly between funding co-operative ownership of key community businesses and supporting council-run rental auctions for properties vacant for a year or more. Burnham said the money puts decision-making back in the hands of locals, aiming to restore pride and hope in town centres. The new funding is layered onto the existing £5.8 billion pride-in-place programme, which provides up to £2 million a year to 284 deprived communities for ten years. Research from the University of Southampton shows public perception of high-street decline has worsened, while Co-operatives UK chief Rose Marley called the co-operative funding a "game changer" for community-led regeneration.
Why it matters
Revitalising empty high-street sites could boost local economies and community cohesion across England.
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