Newcastle urges backing for regeneration plans

A Staffordshire town has called for more government support for its ‘bricks and mortar’ businesses, in a bid to protect its ambitious town centre make over.

Around £130m is being spent regenerating sites in Newcastle-under-Lyme, with a number of regeneration schemes under way in the town centre, and neighbouring Kidsgrove – including a trio of flagship schemes put forward by Manchester developer Capital&Centric.

Current town centre redevelopments include the conversion of the former York Place shopping centre into a residential-led development, with the conversion of the former Midway car park into residential apartments also set to add 100 homes within the town’s ring road.

But the Conservative-controlled local authority fears its planned makeover could be under threat from falling High Street occupancy rates, unless the government takes action to reduce business rates for shops and hospitality businesses.

The authority says it will write to Labour chancellor Rachel Reeves, calling on the government to extend business rate relief currently in place for pubs to all hospitality and high street businesses.

“We are delivering once‑in‑a‑lifetime regeneration to create the right conditions for businesses to grow, but they continue to shoulder the burden of rising national taxes and business rates,” said Simon Tagg, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough council’s leader.

“We’re now calling on the Government to act — with the support of our local MPs — to introduce fairer business rates, extend relief for hospitality and retail, and create a level playing field so that our small businesses can remain competitive and continue to serve communities across the borough.”

The move mirrors national Conservative Party statements, issued in the wake of a climbdown from the Chancellor in January, which saw Labour MP’s ‘banned’ from 2,500 pubs across the country in protest over proposed rate-relief reductions for pubs.

Shadow chancellor Mel Stride has vowed to abolish business rates for retail and hospitality businesses, up to £110,000, a move which could benefit up to 250,000 businesses, but with an estimated cost to the exchequer of around £4bn.

A statement from the Labour Party issued in October said the Conservatives had not explained how the pledge would be funded.