Barnsley’s Labour Members of Parliament, Marie Tidball (Penistone and Stocksbridge), Dan Jarvis (Barnsley North), and Stephanie Peacock (Barnsley South) have welcomed the Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s crackdown on vape stores, gambling shops and dogy businesses as part of his plan to save ‘hollowed out’ high streets across Britain. The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, is giving communities new, strong powers to stop the heart being taken out of our high streets.
Vape shops will now require planning permission to open, which will give local people and councils a say over their high street, and will stop them being opened near schools. Betting shops will face new restrictions, as the Government repeals the ‘Aim to Permit’ principle in law - that forced councils to grant permission to new betting shops and 24-hour slot machine shops even where there are strong local concerns.
The Government is also doubling the maximum length of Closure Orders, from six months to 12 months. This will allow local authorities and the police more time to investigate and prosecute dodgy businesses with links to organised crime and close them for good, such as empty barber shops and illegal vape shops.
So-called ‘Adult Gaming Centres’, which include up to 24-hour access to gambling machines, will also require new planning permission under new proposals, due to come into effect at the start of next year.
In addition, councils will gain further powers to implement restrictions on the types and designs of signage which shops put up. This would allow councils to ban tacky neon signage which is not sympathetic to the local area’s heritage, for example.
Combined, these measures are part of the Prime Minister’s plan to put power back into the hands of local communities and end the heart being taken out of high streets across the Barnsley area and across our country.
Marie Tidball, Member of Parliament for Penistone and Stocksbridge, said:
“Since being elected, one of my top priorities as your MP has been to secure thriving towns and high streets in our very special villages. I know how upsetting it is for local people to see the heart being taken out of our high streets, leaving them almost unrecognisable.
“I’ve been campaigning against dodgy vape shops and suspicious businesses on our high streets for a while now. It’s a regular theme, raised by my constituents, at the ‘Pride in’ constituency meetings I’ve been holding across our communities.
“That’s why I’m so pleased that the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, is giving communities like ours these new powers for local people to take back control of our high streets."
Commenting, Dan Jarvis, Member of Parliament for Barnsley North, said:
“Barnsley has some brilliant local businesses, run by people who work hard, pay their taxes, and play by the rules. They shouldn’t have to compete with dodgy shops being used by organised criminal gangs to launder dirty money.”
“As Security Minister, I’m leading our crackdown on these crime gangs, with more raids, cash seizures, and powers to keep them closed for longer. We’re backing honest businesses and giving people across our borough more of a say over their high streets.”
Stephanie Peacock, Member of Parliament for Barnsley South, said:
"Our high streets are the lifeblood of our communities. For too long, organised criminals have abused the system and blighted our local areas. This Labour Government is clamping down on it and backing our high streets to thrive again."
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:
“For many people, the high streets they grew up with have been hollowed out and become unrecognisable over decades of decline. The rise of vape shops, betting shops and rogue operators have replaced the shops, services, and community spaces that people are crying out for.
“That’s not on. I said we would improve Britain’s high streets, and that’s exactly what we are starting to do. We're putting communities back in control and giving local people a real say over what opens on their high street. Local councils will be given the powers they need to rein in unwanted shops and bring town centres back to life.
“High streets are the beating heart of local communities, but for too long Westminster has stood by while they have been in decline. This government is committed to restoring our high streets and bringing back hope across Britain.”
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