£ 95m to breathe new life into historic high streets
HISTORIC high streets across England have secured funding to help them recover from declining footfall and the impact of the coronavirus crisis.
Great Yarmouth, Huddersfield and Leicester are among 68 towns and cities which will benefit from a £ 95 million Government- funded scheme.
The High Streets Heritage Action Zone Programme, delivered by Historic England, will see disused and dilapidated buildings turned into homes, shops, workplaces and community spaces.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said today: “High streets sit at the heart of our communities and every part of the country deserves to have one they can be proud of.
“This fund will help breathe new life into high streets in towns and cities across the country – restoring them to their full glory.”
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said:
“Whether it’s a medieval market town, or a post- war city centre, every high street in England has a distinctive history that can be harnessed to help it achieve a prosperous future. Investing in heritage delivers good results for people – it means looking after and celebrating the places at the heart of our communities, and the buildings and public spaces which define their character.
“This investment will unlock the potential of these precious high streets and help them thrive again.”
Retail sales have continued to increase for the fourth month running, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. Spending on household goods and DIY boosted August sales volumes by 0.8 per cent compared with July.
Overall there has been a four per cent increase in sales compared with February, before the UK went into full lockdown. Online sales fell 2.5 per cent in August, compared with the previous month but online sales were still 46.8 per cent higher than in February.
Helen Dickinson, CEO of the British Retail Consortium, said: “The recovery remains a mixed bag, with high growth in online sales, while city centre shops suffered from low footfall.”