We Must Support Local Shops and Reinvigorate Our High Streets

As the people of the North East head off to the post Christmas sales, they will be shopping on High Streets that have been decimated by the recession. The high streets of Stanley, Chester-le-Street and Sacriston are scarred with empty shops and this is the case across the North East.

Our region has the highest business property vacancy rate in the country - of 9.7%. We also have, by far, the largest number of vacant former Woolworths in the country. Recent research by the Local Data Company showed that, in July, 90% of the former Woolworths stores in the North East are vacant - compared to a national average of 70% and only 50% in the London area.

This is yet another example of a complacent Labour Party letting our region down. They have taken us all for granted for much too long. The local high street should be the hub of the community. I fondly remember the vibrant high streets of Chester-le-Street, Stanley and Sacriston when I was growing up in the area. It saddens me now to see the number of boarded up shops in our area. We need to do all that we can to reinvigorate our high streets.

That means working with local shopkeepers to reduce the bureaucracy that makes their life so difficult and fighting back against the anti social behaviour that local shops have to deal with on a daily basis. We need to take action to restore our high streets to their former glory.