Boris Johnson says it is one of fifty town centres that will share £1bn revitalisation fund
Virtual shop replaces vacant M&S site
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PM has announced that Putney is one of fifty town centres that will benefit from sharing a pot of £1bn to revitalise the town centre.
Boris Johnson said: “Our high streets are right at the heart of our communities, and I will do everything I can to make sure they remain vibrant places where people want to go, meet and spend their money.
“But with our town centres facing challenges, we’re today expanding the High Streets Fund to support over 100 high streets to regenerate – backed by £1bn of vital investment. This scheme is going to re-energise and transform even more of our high streets – helping them to attract new businesses, boost local growth, and create new infrastructure and jobs.”
Putney High Street has seen a significant number of shops closing over the past 12 months including household names such as M&S and Halfords. Currently,
empty shops on Putney High Street are being covered in environmentally friendly ‘virtual windows', which will help cut fly posting, graffiti, and improve the town centre's aesthetics.
Mp for Putney, Justine Greening tweeted her response to the news:
Delighted to see #Putney High Street announced on the list to get our share of investment from the @mhclg £1bn Future High Streets Fund. Great news for our local community and local businesses. ?@wandbc? ??@putney_bid https://t.co/pvoR3hhYSp
— Justine Greening (@JustineGreening) August 27, 2019
The council infored this website that it applied for the money to support Putney because it is affected by a range of factors that require an innovative, joined-up approach including empty shops, traffic congestion, public areas in need of a revamp and air pollution.
In a letter to the Government in March, council leader Ravi Govindia wrote that in common with other towns Putney is attempting to respond to a time of significant economic, technological and social change, and that supporting it required a shared strategic vision and “the kind of ambition for transformative change that the Future High Streets Fund is seeking to support.”
The application to the fund was worked up alongside key local stakeholders, including the Positively Putney business improvement district. Positively Putney said it is looking forward to working with the council on the next phase, which will see initial ideas developed into an integrated project plan that will then be submitted to the Government.
Sue Wixley, Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Putney, Roehampton & Southfields and London Assembly candidate for Merton & Wandsworth tweeted her response to the announcement:
The Conservatives have never taken responsibility for cleaning up Putney High Street. We need a long-term vision and a sustainable plan not a quick fix, pre-election bung!
— Sue Wixley Lib Dem??? (@SueWixLD) August 27, 2019
Boris Johnson gives struggling high street fund pre-election boost https://t.co/RLXIdVYPn9
August 27, 2019
