Funding boost for English high streets

High streets across England will receive new funding to improve transport links, build new homes and transform underused spaces.

In total, 72 English high streets will share over £830m. A list of 57 areas was announced as the easing of lockdown restrictions sees pubs, cinemas, bowling alleys and other venues open.

Confirmed plans include:

• £17.28m for Grimsby will create a new multiplex cinema and market food hall, which hopes to boost visitor numbers to the town centre. A new public square and events space will be created bringing more vitality to the high street.
• £13.96m investment for Taunton to build new homes, business spaces and hospitality venues, as well as an outdoor performance venue for events to boost visitor numbers.
• £6.28m for Sutton-in-Ashfield for the refurbishment of the Sutton Academy theatre space and repurposing of vacant retail space into offices and hospitality venues. A new pop-up food and events space as well as better pedestrian links will encourage more local people to visit the town centre for special events and festivals.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “This funding is part of wider support we are providing to communities and businesses, to protect jobs, support the most vulnerable and ensure no one is left behind as we recover from pandemic. This investment will make a huge difference to towns and cities across England and transform themselves in desired places to shop, visit, live and work.”

The Future High Streets Fund was launched in December 2018.??

The towns

The 57 places awarded funding are:

1.    Leamington Town Spa, Warwick (Warwickshire) – £10,015,121
2.    Nuneaton Town Centre, Nuneaton and Bedworth (Warwickshire) – £13,331,637
3.    Wolverhampton City Centre – £15,760,196
4.    Walsall – £11,439,967
5.    Newcastle-Under-Lyme – £11,048,260
6.    Stafford – £14,377,723
7.    Tottenham, Haringey – £10,019,647
8.    Woolwich Town Centre, Greenwich – £17,150,964
9.    Wealdstone, Harrow – £7,448,583
10.    Putney Town Centre, Wandsworth – £1,058,706
11.    Elland Town Centre, Calderdale (West Yorkshire) – £6,310,812
12.    Northallerton, Hambleton (North Yorkshire) – £6,085,013
13.    Rotherham – £12,660,708
14.    Halifax – £11,762,823
15.    Barnsley Town Centre – £15,624,456
16.    Scunthorpe – £10,675,323
17.    New Ferry, Wirral – £3,213,523
18.    Wigan – £16,633,692
19.    Crewe – £14,148,128
20.    Rochdale (Greater Manchester) – £17,080,457
21.    Farnworth, Bolton (Greater Manchester) – £13,276,817
22.    Oldham – £10,750,179
23.    Kirkham Town Centre, Fylde – £6,290,831
24.    Maryport Town Centre, Allerdale – £11,527,839
25.    Carlisle City Centre – £9,124,606
26.    Plymouth City Centre – £12,046,873
27.    Barnstaple, North Devon – £6,548,876
28.    Newton Abbot, Teignbridge – £9,025,771
29.    Paignton, Torbay – £13,363,248
30.    Kingswood, South Gloucestershire – £12,555,464
31.    Salisbury City Centre – £9,355,301
32.    Penzance, Cornwall – £10,403,112
33.    Trowbridge, Wiltshire – £16,347,056
34.    Yeovil – £9,756,897
35.    Taunton, Somerset – £13,962,981
36.    Loftus, Redcar and Cleveland – £5,833,526
37.    Middlesbrough Centre – £14,170,352
38.    Stockton – £16,543,812
39.    South Shields – £5,959,187
40.    Derby City Centre, St Peters Cross – £15,034,000
41.    Sutton-in-Ashfield (Nottinghamshire) – £6,279,871
42.    Grantham, South Kesteven (Lincolnshire) – £5,556,042
43.    Grimsby (North East Lincolnshire) – £17,280,917
44.    Nottingham City Centre, West End Point – £12,523,981
45.    Heanor, Amber Valley – £8,592,837
46.    Northampton – £8,427,625
47.    Buxton, High Peak – £6,608,222
48.    Dover Town Centre and Waterfront – £3,196,497
49.    Newhaven, Lewes – £5,004,938
50.    Chatham Town Centre, Medway – £9,497,720
51.    Ramsgate, Thanet – £2,704,213
52.    Commercial Road, Portsmouth – £3,122,375
53.    Fratton, Portsmouth – £3,858,489
54.    High Wycombe – £11,779,904
55.    St Neots, Huntingdonshire – £3,748,815
56.    March High Street, Fenland – £6,447,129
57.    Great Yarmouth – £13,774,430