Ilkeston was the venue for Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Communities Secretary Angela Rayner, East Midlands elected Mayor Claire Ward and local, Erewash Labour MP Adam Thompson, for an announcement about countering decline and crime on local high streets.
Burnham said: โFor 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. Thatโs not on. I said we would improve Britainโs high streets, and thatโs exactly what we are starting to do. Weโre 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.
โHigh 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.โ
As for detail, Labour proposes the maximum length of Closure Orders will double from six to 12 months, giving police and local government longer to investigate premises linked to organised crime, pursue prosecutions, and prevent such businesses as vape shops, and barber shops โ re-opening before investigations are complete. The Government intends to revoke the Gambling Actโs โAim to Permitโ rule, which restricts the ability of councils to refuse new betting shops and 24-hour slot machine shops, regardless of local concerns.
Claire Ward said: โOur local shops and high streets hold a mirror up to our economy. If that mirror shows us nothing but vape shops, gambling shops, and crime, it destroys pride in place. People, councils, and local businesses should be able to work together to shape their high streets, but as things are, they lack the levers to ensure that everyone plays fair. This announcement gives places the chance to take back control, ensuring that no one type of business can monopolise the high street and that flagrant criminality can be dealt with. Local powers given to locally accountable councils, together with investment led by regional Mayors will help diverse high streets to flourish.โ
As featured in the July edition of Professional Security Magazine, the Home Office announced a โHigh Street Organised Crime Unitโ in June, as a response to the proliferation over recent years of vape and foreign groceries shops. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood complained of ‘criminal gangs operating in plain sight โ running vape stores, dodgy barbers, and nail salons’.
Comments
John Herriman, Chief Executive at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), welcomed the announced planned extension to the maximum duration of closure orders. He said: โClosure orders are an important enforcement tool available to Local Authority Trading Standards teams. They can provide a more immediate safeguard for communities, and more immediate disruption to criminal activity. Today’s announcement will assist enforcement agencies in being more able to robustly disrupt the most persistent offenders.
โThe presence of dodgy shops on our high streets has a significant negative impact on local communities and legitimate businesses. Local Authority Trading Standards play a vital role in maintaining the level-playing field for businesses and creating safe, prosperous communities, and todayโs announcement is a positive step to assist in efforts to allow our high streets to thrive.
“We are keen to work with UK Governmentsย to unlock the full potential of strengthened closure orders byย addressing some anomalies including permitting closure orders to be accessed in Scotland, and addressing the significant challenge that remains forย Countyย Councils operatingย which are unable to make use of this important tool.ย These further changes would roll-out coverage to all local authorities across Britain and ensure that all local communities and high streets can benefit from the important role Closure Orders can play in closing dodgy shops and help to rejuvenate our high streets.โ
And Eamonn O’Brien, Chair of the Local Government Association (LGA)ย said:โPlanning is about shaping communities, providingย the right kind ofย economic activity and public services for the people thatย useย them, and ensuring the right decisions are made on issues that matter to residents.ย It is positive that councils and communities will get a greater say on what shops and services are found on their high streets through these changes to the Use Class Order which will require vape shops to acquire planning permission.
โThe LGA has consistently raised that some permitted development rights, which allow uses to change without planning permission,ย can hollow out high streets and reduce community andย democraticย oversight of planning decisions. Extraย powersย willย helpย councilsย in revitalising high streets and shaping their communities, particularly in regulating betting and vaping shops, while also breathing new life into empty premises.โ
See also the September 2026 edition of Professional Security Magazine.
