Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
These streets were thriving when I grew up.. we’ll join your fight to save them
Labour MP Long-bailey’s pledge over towns blighted by closures
shops or pay-day lenders. They’re all key indicators of an area that’s in decline.”
Grim figures from the Local Data Company show 110 units in Eccles are empty, a vacancy rate of 23.6%.
That is an increase on the 18.5% recorded in 2015, and the trend looks set to continue.
Nationally last year, 5,855 stores closed, the most since 2010. Among them were 1,700 chain stores.
We are campaigning for improved business rates, better transport links, an online tax and fairness across the board in a bid to save our High Streets.
Salford and Eccles MP Ms Long-bailey said: “I’ve seen the Mirror’s campaign and I support it.
“I think it’s fantastic and I wish the Government would listen instead of burying its head in the sand. The High
ON LABOUR’S PROPOSALS
Street is dying. That’s not just in Eccles, that’s all over the country.
“There’s not a week goes by without us hearing about one of the major stores going into administration and making thousands redundant.
“We want to bring the High Street back to life. But first we have to be realistic about the problems. First up, business rates are a massive problem.
“The average shop has been hit by an increase of up to £3,663 in the last year.
“And places like Amazon have seen a decrease in their costs because of the way they’re calculated.
“The big supermarkets are seeing a fall as well. But little shops are seeing a massive increase.”
A lack of investment and underbetting funding by hardup councils is another problem.
With car parking space at a premium and no longer free, that adds to the pressure on local businesses as do supermarkets and big shopping centres.
Ms Long-bailey said: “A gentleman came to see me from Booth’s which is a furniture shop. It had a big car park next to them that used to be free.
“But the council owned it and started bringing in charges. So Booths stopped getting the footfall.”
Ms Long-bailey and her team are drawing up plans for a Labour government to combat the failure of the High Street. She said: “On Day One we would review business rates.
“We’d also put in place our catapult retail strategy, which uses research and development to push economic growth.
“And the living wage will go up to £10 . That will give people more money in their pockets.
“We’ve got a £250billion infrastructure investment fund to give communities upgrades.
Turning to the closed-down Cross Keys boozer, Ms Long-bailey said: “This pub has been shut for years. People say it’s haunted. Well if it is, at least someone’s using it.”