We must act now to save our high streets

IT’S no exaggeration to say that the British high street as we know it is fighting for its very survival. On average last year 16 shops closed down every day – from small family businesses which had traded on the same site for generations, to big national names such as Toys R Us and Maplin.

Crushed by a combination of crippling business rates, soaring parking charges and the inexorable march of internet shopping, they simply can’t turn a profit. And when they go, most are not being replaced, punching a gaping hole not only in the high street but in the heart of the community.

Smaller towns and villages are especially vulnerable. Many have already lost banks and Post Offices. If the family butcher, hardware store, bookshop and greengrocer also disappear, there is eventually little incentive to come in to the town centre at all. The soul is sucked out of it, leaving local society severely diminished.

But big cities are also suffering, as a string of large chains, including Marks and Spencer, House of Fraser and Debenhams axe stores and lay off staff.

So today the Mail joins business leaders and MPs from all major parties in a campaign to save and regenerate Britain’s high streets.

The situation could hardly be more urgent. In the last six months alone, an estimated 50,000 shop workers have been made redundant or their jobs placed under threat. Local and national government must act now to stop this carnage – before it’s too late.

Heading the list of vital reforms is an end to punitive business rates. The Federation of Small Businesses identifies spiralling rates as the main reason why one in five of its members is thinking about selling up.

This tax on enterprise will raise a record £30.8billion this year, even though the retailers paying it are seeing their profits dwindle.

Half a million firms saw their rates go up following last year’s revaluation – some by up to a ruinous 300 per cent. This is not responsible taxation. It’s extortion.

And because the tax is calculated according to notional rental value of their property, town and city centre retailers are hit much harder than those doing business out of town. If the high street is to survive, this crucial imbalance must be addressed.

Also, councils should slash parking charges in major shopping areas.

Too many local authorities have tried to raise extra funds with huge increases in parking rates. But this is dangerous and counter-productive. High charges discourage shoppers from coming in to town and kill trade – making town centre shops even less profitable.

This leads to more closures and ultimately less revenue for the council. Through shortterm greed, they are in danger of killing the golden goose.

Then there is the scandal of the big online retailers – notably Amazon – who make billions in revenue in this country but pay only minuscule amounts of tax. As a result, they are able to massively undercut traditional shops which have to pass on the cost of business taxes and other overheads to their customers.

Yes, online shopping is fact of modern life and has been a huge success with consumers. But why should these internet giants be allowed to shirk paying their fair share of tax? There must be a level playing field.

For all these reasons, the fact is that Britain’s high streets are in the grip of a desperate and intensifying crisis. Without a new vision and a coherent rescue plan many will lose their fight for survival – and communities up and down the country will pay a heavy price.