The Parades to be Proud Of: Strategies to Support Local Shops report, launched by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles MP, aims to make parades of local shops safer, to restore community pride in parades, and to make parades important in their communities.
James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores said: "Too often, the role of parades of shops in urban and suburban areas is forgotten, yet these are the businesses serving real communities up and down the country. By providing this guidance, the Government is giving long overdue credit to local shops and helping them by giving practical advice on how to work together and thrive.
"We are pleased that the report has drawn on evidence from ACS and our members, not least by recognizing that local shops are social hubs, personalised service providers, and community ambassadors." However the organisation said that there was more that the government could do to help local shopping parades. Lowman added: "Mr Pickles’ department has made great strides in its new National Planning Policy Framework that will make it harder for big out-of-town stores to open up and destroy the diversity of local parades, but they need to back this up by calling in for review out-of-town developments that go against local plans."
ACS was a key contributor to the Portas Review into High Streets, and is part of the National Town Team helping to roll out the report's recommendations.
