A group of Conservative northern MPs are calling for the implementation of a range of measures, including scrapping closing times for pubs and bars, to give beleaguered high streets a fighting chance post-coronavirus. The proposals follow July’s announcement that saw the Northern Research Group (NRG) urging the government to level up places in the north.
The NRG’s other suggestions include one year of free business rates for all new high street businesses, tailored start-up loans for new high street businesses, time-limited free parking and local discount cards sent to every resident with their council tax bill.
Mr Stevenson said: “The high streets across Carlisle are the beating heart of the community and are the original and local social network.
“While the Government’s High Street Strategy is welcome, we must now deliver for high street businesses across the Carlisle constituency.
“The Government must release high street businesses from the shackles of regulation and remove the barriers that prevent many from shopping locally.
“For too long issues such as high parking charge costs have driven people away from local businesses to large shopping centres or online.
“It’s time we levelled the playing field to level up our high streets.
“Our plan for the high streets tears down the barriers and blows away the cobwebs to unlock the true potential of our town and city centres to have a post-pandemic bloom.”
