Local communities are set to be given new powers to safeguard local pubs and libraries, as part of a government drive to revitalise neglected high streets.
The new Pride in Place programme will enable residents to block the opening of unwanted betting shops, vape stores, and fake barbers from opening.
Councils will also be given the opportunity to transform derelict buildings and boarded-up shops, under Community Right to Buy and compulsory purchase powers.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to unveil the initiative on Thursday, backed by "record investment" for over 330 communities.
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed said: “When people step out of their front doors, they know their communities are struggling. They see shuttered pubs, fading high streets and their local areas in decline.
“Yes, communities have been stretched, but they haven’t given up. They’re working hard to make things better, and we’re backing them.
“The government is putting power into their hands so local people decide how best to restore pride in their neighbourhoods, not us in Westminster.
“That’s what real patriotism looks like: building up our communities and choosing renewal over division.”
Funding will be given to projects which have consulted community groups, local organisations and social clubs.
The programme will tackle deep-rooted deprivation and regional inequality, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said.
Gambling shops are among the services the Government has signalled it wants to crack down on to improve high streets.
A spokesperson for the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) said the shops “are far more than just places to have a flutter: they are community hubs, economic drivers, and a vital part of the high street’s future”.
As of March 2024, there were 5,931 betting shops in Britain, a decrease on previous years, according to the Gambling Commission.
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