Shut the bookies, save the pubs as locals to be handed power over Rochdale’s high streets

Thursday, 25 September 2025 00:01

By David Murphy

This is a stock image from file showing a boarded-up local building that was unused at the time of capture, typical of the sites communities could reclaim under new government powers.

Local people will soon have the power to block betting shops, rescue derelict pubs and reopen empty shops, under radical plans unveiled by the government today.

A sweeping new programme called Pride in Place will give communities in Rochdale and across the UK unprecedented powers to take control of their high streets and neighbourhoods. Backed by record funding and billed as the biggest shift of power from Westminster in modern history, the initiative aims to restore pride, tackle deprivation, and support over 330 towns and communities.

The Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the initiative as part of the government’s broader Plan for Change, which promises to give real decision-making power to local residents.

Under the plans, communities will be able to:

Seize abandoned buildings and boarded-up shops to turn them into new businesses, parks, health centres or housing
Block the opening of new vape stores, gambling shops and so-called “fake barbers”
Take ownership of pubs, libraries or other cherished buildings at risk of being lost
Decide how government money is spent locally, with spending only approved if local groups are properly consulted

The programme is expected to directly benefit Rochdale and other boroughs facing long-term decline, offering hope to high streets that have suffered from years of underinvestment, anti-social behaviour and rising vacancy rates.

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed MP, said:

“When people step out of their front doors, they know their communities are struggling. They see shuttered pubs, fading high streets and local areas in decline. But they haven’t given up, and now we’re backing them.”

The new “Community Right to Buy” will give residents first refusal on cherished local landmarks, while stronger compulsory purchase powers will allow councils to take over buildings that have become an eyesore.

The government says this is about “renewal over decline”, with derelict department stores potentially turned into GP surgeries or affordable homes, and local people finally getting a say over what fills their high streets.

Only towns and councils that genuinely engage residents through local boards and consultations will be eligible for the money, the government has confirmed.

A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up said:

“We’re not interested in just handing money to councils. This is about communities having the power, not just the promise. They should decide what their towns look like, not Whitehall.”

The measures follow rising frustration in towns like Rochdale, where high streets have become dominated by vape shops, gambling outlets and discount stores.

While further detail on exact allocations is expected in the coming weeks, government sources say Rochdale is expected to be among the more than 330 areas receiving support under the programme, based on levels of deprivation and previous regeneration needs.

The programme will apply across England, Scotland and Wales, with a separate version being developed for Northern Ireland. Local councils will be responsible for setting up the Pride in Place Boards, which must include community leaders, charities, and local groups.

The Pride in Place programme will be officially launched on Thursday 25 September.