Business rate breaks, protection for pubs, and tackling high street eyesores are at the heart of new pledges unveiled by Bev Craig today.
Labour’s candidate for Mayor of Greater Manchester has announced a raft of new measures to restore town centres and high streets as being the beating heart of their communities.
It comes as Bev visits Prestwich high street today, meeting local business owners and hearing about the challenges they face.
From Bolton to Burnage, Bev has committed to making good growth felt in every borough of the city-region, so that businesses can boom and locals can enjoy thriving retail and leisure spaces.
Backed by £20 million of new cash, a ‘Good Growth High Streets Fund’ will give areas the chance to bid for money to revive their local centres, and a new ‘Fix It Fund’ will help sort neighbourhood gripes like neglected alleyways, tired flowerbeds, faded murals, or broken play equipment.
Plans to expand the ‘Good Growth Fund’ will also see every borough get a Mayoral Development Corporation or a town centre in our regeneration programme, to ensure the gains of our city-centre economy are spread to every community.
To restore pride in every town centre – not just in Manchester city centre – Bev has vowed to clean up our high streets – with a targeted clampdown on vape shop and other overbearing firms with tougher licensing action, and compulsory purchase powers to force the sale of derelict, eyesore properties and bring them back into community ownership
She will protect with a bespoke new strategy to safeguard treasured local boozers and allow for community ownership to keep them open in our local areas
There will be business rate holidays – to incentivise good high-street enterprises that keep everyday goods and services affordable
She has pledged to host a Greater Manchester hospitality sum coordinated work across boroughs, and a support offer for independent hospitality firms
If elected she will put £180 million into our towns to drive regeneration – with Stockport, Oldham, Old Trafford, Ashton and Middleton among those to benefit.
Bev Craig said:
“I’ve set myself a test: If I’m elected as your Mayor, every decision I take will be guided by whether it makes you better off.
“Too many people feel worried by the state of their local high street. But I’m determined to make you proud of it again.
“A Greater Manchester that works for all of us, is one not just with a world beating city centre, but one that sees success in our proud towns, through thriving local high streets. That’s why I’ll take action to back our pubs, restaurants and shops – to ensure our boroughs get the boost they need to boom.”
