The UK Government has pledged a £5 billion investment for UK high streets and communities in the form of the ‘Pride in Place’ programme. The money will be invested into ‘overlooked’ communities to revive their high streets and hospitality scene. 169 areas will be given £2 million every year for the next decade, and another 95 areas will receive an immediate £1.5 million to upgrade public spaces.
This is a welcome Government initiative that will help businesses in the retail and hospitality industries combat an ever-increasing cost of living. The goal is that communities will be “given the power to revitalise their neglected high streets, create new spaces for young people, and take back control of derelict pubs”.
This certainly comes as welcome news for the pub and bar sector, who have faced heavy losses this year with 209 pubs having closed in the first six months of 2025. Rising NIC costs and minimum wage have left hospitality owners with bills too high to handle. This initiative could be a positive step forward for the industry.
Local organisations and residents will be included in plans for how their money is spent, so the outcomes of these boosts will vary by region. Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, said, “For too long, people have watched their towns and streets decline – powerless to stop boarded-up shops and neglected parks. That ends now. We’re investing in the UK’s future, by backing the true patriots that build our communiyies up in neighbourhoods across every corner of the country.”
This will come alongside a cracking-down on betting shops, vape shops, and ‘illegal’ barber shops. As of March 2024 there were 5,931 betting shops in Britain, according to the Gambling Commission. As well as this, there will be a Community Right to Buy for derelict buildings and stores, allowing councils and communities to breathe new life into old abandoned businesses and create new jobs and revenue.
