The government led by Andy Burnham has announced significant changes to high street regulations in England, aimed at giving local councils enhanced powers to control the establishment of vape and betting shops. Under the new measures, which will come into effect at the beginning of 2027, vape shops in England and Wales will be required to obtain planning permission before opening.
In addition, councils will be empowered to refuse applications for new betting shops and adult gaming centres. This development is part of a broader effort by the Labour government to allow local communities greater influence over the character and makeup of their high streets.
A government source explained that this change means, “Local people will actually have more of an input into whether or not those shops should open in the first place, giving them a proper say about how their high streets should look.”
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Dawn Butler, the Member of Parliament for Brent East and a campaigner on this issue, highlighted the financial impact of gambling on high streets. She revealed, “During a previous visit to a high street with the Guardian, it was a real shock to discover just how much money gambling machines can generate.”
Government analysis of data from the Gambling Commission found that B3 gambling machines produce an average gross gambling yield of £35,000 per machine annually. Butler emphasised the significance of this figure, stating, “That figure really brought home to me the scale of the gambling industry’s presence on our high streets and why they would want multiple shops to maximise their profits.”
To contextualise the impact, Butler compared this with income levels: “The national living wage for someone aged 21 or over works out at around £26,400 a year for a 40-hour week, while in Brent the average wage is below £35,000. That experience underlined for me why urgent action was needed.”
Angela Rayner, the Secretary of State for Communities and an ally of Mr Burnham, remarked that these changes address long-standing problems. She said, “That’s why we’re giving local leaders the power to say no to what doesn’t belong on their high street, and the tools to fix it themselves.”
This reform marks a significant step towards empowering local authorities and communities to shape their high streets in a way that reflects local values and concerns.