Shops with local social value – like bookies or vape shops – have crept onto our high streets over the years.  

Town centres need a range of venues to cater for everyone: places to meet, shop, work and eat. No one comes to the high street in search of the same strawberry milkshake vape from a series of identical vendors. While this may be true for the fixed-odds betting machines across a row of gambling shops, their prevalence is damaging to society. 

Clustering of gambling shops is particularly noticeable in areas that are the hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis. Research shows that 21% of gambling premises are situated in the most deprived 10% of areas in Britain, compared to just 2% in the least deprived 10% of areas.  

That’s why the government has announced that local authorities will have greater control over the spread of vape shops and adult gaming centres. 

Our Prime Minister has committed this government to a “place-based” politics, built around giving power back to local communities and restoring pride in the areas that are important to them. 

This news is a perfect example of that message in action. In Crewe & Nantwich, Cheshire Police and Cheshire East Trading Standards are already taking decisive action against the illicit sales of vapes and cigarettes, issuing closure orders on 4 vendors across the constituency in July.  

These new powers will give the local authority greater confidence to stop these shops from cropping up in the first place. 

We’re giving local communities a say over what opens on their high street, and stronger powers to stop unwanted businesses from cropping up in town centres.  

That includes: 

• Aim to Permit: we intend to revoke the 2005 Gambling Act’s “aim to permit” rule, which restricts the ability of councils to refuse new gambling premises. Ministers will consult on scrapping the rule so that councils can respond where there are strong local concerns about too many premises clustering on their high streets. 

• Stopping the spread of vape shops & adult gaming centres: in the new year, new planning rules will mean vape shops and adult gaming centres need planning permission before opening, giving local people and councils a say over whether they are right for their area. 

• Banning vape shops near schools: councils will also have stronger powers to stop vape shops opening in inappropriate locations, including near schools, and prevent clustering of shops on the same high street. 

• Tackling a vape shop loophole: the definition of a vape shop will be tightened so businesses cannot dodge the rules by claiming to be a general convenience store when their main purpose is selling vapes. 

• Extended Closure Orders: we will legislate to double the maximum length of Closure Orders from 6 to 12 months, giving police and local authorities more time to investigate premises linked to organised crime and stop rogue operators reopening too quickly. 

• Improving shopfronts and signs: over the next six months, councils will get practical support to improve shopfronts, signs and the overall look and feel of high streets, backed by the Planning Advisory Service.