• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Friday September 25 2026

Boarded-up high streets to be brought back to life with £210 million boost

Derelict high street buildings could be transformed into shared workspaces, cafes and community hubs, to bring people back into town centres as part of a £210 million package announced today (Friday, September 25).

People are proud of where they live, but too many have watched their high streets be hollowed out, with shops shuttered, buildings boarded up and once-busy hubs left empty, the government says.

Now the government says it is putting that right, by revamping vacant shopping centres, disused cinemas and abandoned local eyesores.

Through the new £125 million Derelict Buildings Fund, government will support local authorities to transform these buildings into what their communities need, from health centres to civic spaces.

An additional £65 million will be invested in helping communities right across England rescue and revamp beloved buildings and businesses at risk of closure, like pubs and sports clubs.

And a further £20 million will be split equally between High Street Rental Auctions, letting out properties vacant for 12 months or more, and a new Co-operative Development Programme so local people share in their high street’s success.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “People don’t measure growth by looking at a spreadsheet. They measure it by looking at their local high street. Are shops opening or are the shutters down? Does the place feel like it’s moving forward or being left behind?

“The truth is that too many high streets have been left to hollow out, leaving town centres a shell of what they once were. That must change, and today’s funding will help put power back into the hands of locals who know their area best.

“That’s how we restore pride and bring hope back. Not by telling people things are getting better, but by giving them the power to see and feel the difference where they live.”

Welcoming the news, Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said: “Our high streets are the heart of our communities, providing a focal point for local people to connect and a home for local businesses.

“This new funding will help people really shape the future of their areas, creating more vibrant and welcoming places for us to enjoy and spend time in.

“A thriving Everyday Economy is also enormously important to our wider growth in the West of England, and I hope that a share of the new Co-operative Development Programme can help local people to see and feel the difference of investment in our part of the world.”