Pickles pedges High Street Support..

Pickles pledges support for high streets

Doubled small business rate relief.Over the past twelve months, half a million firms have benefited including high street shops, newsagents and cafés.

Provided rapid supportto help shops get back on their feet following the riots in August with small firms able to bid against a twenty million pound fund within days.

Announced plans to change the way business rates work, so that councils are rewarded for helping small shops thrive and prosper.

Plans to focus retail development in town centres through a 'town centre first' planning policy.

A plan to change planning rules to allow councils to provide more parking spaces in town centres, to make them able to compete with out-of-town supermarkets.

http://www.communities.gov.uk/newsstories/regeneration/1993473