Lib Dems Launch Plans to Revitalise our High Streets (Scarborough and Whitby Liberal Democrats)

Scarborough and Whitby Liberal Democrats <info@scarboroughandwhitbylibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dems Launch Plans to Revitalise our High Streets

February 15, 2010 12:22 PM

Tania Exley-Moore in Scarborough's Westborough

Liberal Democrats in Scarborough and Whitby have today set out plans to revitalise Britain's high streets, protect the future of the Post Office, and help small businesses establish and grow in a fairer marketplace.

The announcement comes as research shows one in eight shops is now empty after the recession. The report, published by the Local Data Company (LDC), says that vacancies shot up by 24% in the second half of 2009.

Tania Exley-Moore, Parliamentary Candidate for Scarborough and Whitby said:

"Even before the credit crunch hit, small independent shops had more or less disappeared from our high streets.

"The Government's skewed planning system has seen supermarket giants squeeze the life out of towns like ours and now almost every high street in Britain is an identical collection of chain stores and coffee shops. We lost Woolworths from our high street in both Scarborough and Whitby and now we are left with little more than bargain stores and charity shops.

"We need thriving shopping areas in both Scarborough and Whitby ones with real character that allows local businesses to survive and grow.

"The financial crisis has exposed Labour and the Conservatives' folly of being entirely dependent on the City of London. The Liberal Democrats understand that it will be small businesses that are key to building a healthy and balanced economy."

Commenting, Nick Clegg said:

"Thriving high streets are at the heart of local communities.

"But it has been our high streets that have borne the brunt of this recession, with boarded up shops scarring towns and villages across Britain.

"I believe that people value the wide range of goods and services available locally and want to see their high streets thrive and prosper."