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The Great British High Street
Awards are back and very soon high streets across the
United Kingdom will be battling it out to find Britain’s
best.
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They will all be trying to emulate the success of
reigning high street champion, Crickhowell, commended for its
community-led initiatives, including the Corn Exchange project
which transformed a former pub into shops for independent
traders.
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There was a huge response to last year’s competition –
over 200 entries – highlighting how retailers and community
groups across the country are working in innovative ways to
keep city, town and village centres’ vibrant and
strong.
Speaking ahead of the competition launch in High Street
Crickhowell, High Streets Minister MP said:
The government awards celebrate the dedicated shop keepers, the
committed volunteers and forward-thinking councils who together
are creating vibrant and dynamic high streets that are loved by
their communities.
Last year more than 200 high streets across the land battled it
out in a hotly-contested competition to be crowned Britain’s
best.
I would encourage communities across the nation to enter, so
their high streets and the people working in them gain the
recognition they fully deserve.
The Great British High Street Awards 2019, run by the Ministry of
Housing, Communities and Local Government in partnership with
Visa and backed by other supporters, recognises and celebrates
local achievements on the UK’s high streets and supports the
communities in which we live and work.
The campaign includes a competition to find the UK’s best and
most improved high streets within two categories:
- the Champion Award to celebrate the UK’s best high streets
- the Rising Star Award for those taking the lead and working
to adapt and diversify
For each, a winner will be named in England, Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland, as well as there being an overall UK winner.
Nominations for the awards can be made by local authorities,
Business Improvement Districts and – for the first time – groups
of high street retailers, from today. Shortlisted entries will be
announced in August 2019.
In addition, individuals will also be recognised through the High
Street Hero Award which will identify those who, through their
innovation, energy, time or enthusiasm, stand out as leading
lights on their high streets and in their local communities.
Nominations for the Great British High Street Awards 2019 are now
open. To find out more, visit The Great British High
Street and follow on
There will be 26 short-listed entries in the Champion High Street
category, 13 for England, 6 for Scotland, 4 for Wales and 3 for
Northern Ireland. There will be 12 short-listed entries for the
Rising Star category.
Ways the government is backing the high street
The Budget saw business rates relief cut small retailers’ bills
by a third, building on over £13 billion of business rates
support since 2016.
In response to recommendations from the independent expert panel,
led by Sir John , the government has recently
launched a £675 million Future High Streets
Fund to help improve infrastructure and access to high
streets, put historic buildings back to use and make town centres
fit for the future.
We have also announced a Town Centre Task Force to give local
leaders expert advice and support in implementing their plans to
revitalise their local high streets.
The Open Doors scheme
will see empty shops being opened up to community groups offering
services to the most vulnerable in our communities.
Through the planning system we are helping to support change on
the high street, making it easier for high streets to adapt for
the future, with a wider range of retail, residential and other
uses.
We are empowering businesses to contribute to the success of
their high street by providing loans to establish Business Improvement
Districts across the country.
