Minister: Bring back bandstands and free parking to save High St

FREE parking should be offered in town centres across Britain to help boost struggling high street retailers, a minister has said.

Jake Berry also called on councils to consider bringing entertainment such as bandstands and art galleries to shopping centres to pull in more patrons.

He called on councils to rethink how much they charged motorists amid mounting concerns about struggling shops.

Mr Berry, a junior minister for the Department for Communities and Local Government, said short periods of free parking of an hour could be offered to tempt more people into town centres.

His comments came after the Mail launched a campaign last week to save Britain’s High Street. It calls for an overhaul of crippling business rates and town centre rules, including parking restrictions, to help struggling traditional retailers compete with online giants.

Mr Berry said business rates were a matter for Chancellor Philip Hammond but called on councils to do their part by allowing shoppers to park for free.

Many businesses did not want all- day free parking but would welcome shorter- periods that encouraged a steady flow of shoppers, he added.

‘Having short periods of free parking is something that can bring people back into high streets,’ the minister told The Daily Telegraph. ‘Parking should be locally determined. But what I think may be what is missing is the voice of business in parking.

‘I know in my own local authority we had a situation where you can park all day for free – you would think that is what shopkeepers want.

‘Guess what? It’s not – they want you to be able to park for an hour or two hours for free because they want you to leave and new customers with fresh money in their pocket to arrive. Having shorter periods of free parking is something that all local authorities, in consultation with their businesses, should consider.’

Mr Berry also suggested councils should appoint ‘sheriffs’ whose jobs would be to help make sure the high streets thrived. And he said attractions for visitors to enjoy while they were in town centres could woo more shoppers to struggling stores.

He added: ‘If political leadership knew that shops and businesses were struggling to have their voice heard they would want to do something about it.

‘We should be working with local authorities at finding ways bringing things like gyms, childcare maybe even day care for the elderly on to the High Street.’

Speaking about the High Street in Ashford, Kent, he said: ‘There are art galleries. There is a bandstand ... I don’t think bandstands are the only solution but I want more things that will bring people into the centre.’

Tough conditions on Britain’s high streets have cost around 50,000 retail jobs since the start of the year. Bricks and mortar businesses complain part of the problem is an unfair advantage enjoyed by web giants such as Amazon, which do not have to pay expensive business rates on physical shops, relying instead on huge out-of-town warehouses.

Launched last Monday, the Mail’s Save our High Streets campaign calls on the Government to reform business rates and has already received the backing of a string of major stores.

Mr Berry said shoppers also had a duty to support retailers. He added: ‘It is absolutely incumbent on all of us to go out and support the High Street. There is nothing greater than the great British High Street. It is a huge community asset for our nation.’

Yesterday the idea was backed by the British Retail Consortium but the group said changes to business rates were also crucial.

A spokesman said: ‘With high street stores under enormous pressure it’s sensible for the Government to look at every measure which could increase footfall.

‘Free, or at least more affordable, parking could make a real difference in encouraging more consumers into town centres.

‘However, these initiatives alone aren’t enough – if the Government is serious about helping struggling shops they need to commit to a two-year freeze on business rates.

‘Only by reducing the significant costs currently facing retailers who operate from property can Government make a real difference to help preserve as many shops as possible.’