City bid to weather high street storms

An inquiry into how the city centre can “weather the storm” facing high streets has been launched and could lead to business rate relief for retailers.

Councillors will discuss a report next week which warns the historic city centre’s retail sector is in a “state of flux”, and that the “pace of change is accelerating”.

AN INQUIRY into how York city centre can “weather the storm” facing the nation’s high streets has been launched and could lead to business rate relief for retailers as well as efforts to encourage the growth of independent traders.

Councillors will discuss a report next week which warns the historic city centre’s retail sector is in a “state of flux”, and despite shop vacancies being at half the rate of the national average, the “pace of change is accelerating”.

The report stresses there is a growing need to understand future threats to the city centre and how it might adapt in the future – particularly in specific areas already hit by retail closures such as Coney Street, where BHS shut in 2016, and Goodramgate.

It also states that calls for the council to use its discretionary powers to reduce business rates – despite their “growing importance” as an income stream for the authority – are mounting.

The council is already working with the Make It York tourism body, the York Business Improvement District (BID) and the York Retail Forum to co-ordinate approaches to the city centre and tackle vacancies in shopping districts such as Coney Street.

Other potential action includes using a surplus of Christmas decorations to help increase visitor footfall at other high streets, including Front Street in Acomb and Haxby.

Research into the city centre economy has already begun, but councillors at Tuesday’s meeting will be asked to approve further studies into business rates, retail in the city centre and out-oftown shopping districts, ways of reducing occupancy costs in the council’s own property portfolio, and the support of independent traders.

The council’s member for economic development, Coun Keith Aspden, said: “Nationally, our retail sector is rapidly changing and as a local authority we should be ahead of the curve in terms of managing and influencing change.

“Supporting York’s city centre economy is a priority for the council and undertaking this research alongside supporting traders’ associations will put the council in a stronger position to determine next steps in preparing the city for future years.”

Council leader Ian Gillies added: “This is a key priority for York Council and will help us to better understand how future changes might impact on the city centre and how the council and partners might influence change to support the growth of our economy.”

The focus comes as Chancellor Philip Hammond announced £1.5bn for high streets in Monday’s Budget. The announcement included plans to give nearly halfa-million small retailers relief from business rates. It follows the launch of The

Yorkshire Post’s Love Your High Street campaign to encourage readers to shop locally.

We should be ahead of the curve in managing change. Coun Keith Aspden, York Council’s member for economic development.