Labour's shadow chancellor says tackling anti social behaviour is a "big issue" when it comes to improving high streets in towns such as Mansfield. Giving councils more power over empty shops were also among the ideas discussed by Rachel Reeves during a visit to Mansfield on Tuesday (April 27).
The visit, which took place with just a week to go before voters across Nottinghamshire vote for their local councillors, also saw shadow levelling up, housing and communities secretary Lisa Nandy touring Mansfield shops. Joined by Labour's current mayor for Mansfield, Andy Abrahams, Lisa Nandy and Rachel Reeves visited several local businesses and walked around the Four Seasons Shopping Centre.
Government figures show the East Midlands has lost 580 pubs, 520 banks and 490 shops since 2010. Rachel Reeves acknowledged this was partly down due to changing consuming behaviour, accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, but said Labour would introduce several measures to try and halt the decline of Britain's high streets.
