Simon Danczuk MP

Fighting for Rochdale, Littleborough and Milnrow

Rochdale’s Labour Parliamentary Candidate, Simon Danczuk, has called on local artists, social entrepreneurs and co-operative groups to take advantage of emergency government measures that will make thousands of small grants available for people to find creative reuse of vacant shops.

With nearly a third of Rochdale’s town centre shops having closed down, Mr Danczuk said it was vital that the Council encouraged people to bid for the £3million of funding being announced today by the Communities Secretary, Hazel Blears, and Culture Secretary, Andy Burnham.

“Rochdale has been hit harder by the recession than most towns and we must take advantage of this government funding to encourage community groups to take over vacant shops,” he said. “We’re seeing this happen elsewhere and with its proud co-operative traditions I believe Rochdale should be doing the same. In Margate 11 empty shops in a shopping centre have been taken over by artists and a pair of empty units in Torquay have been turned into an NHS Stop Smoking service shop and a young person’s advice drop in centre. Our Council needs to shake themselves out of their ‘do-nothing’ attitude and start fighting to save our town centre from becoming a ghost town.”

Under the new emergency measures, planning rules will be relaxed to allow changes of use which go against local guidelines. For example, a disused clothes shop could become an art gallery or an empty Woolworths a farmers market.

"Empty shops can be eyesores or crime magnets," said Hazel Blears. "Our ideas for reviving town centres will give communities the knowhow to temporarily transform vacant premises into something innovative for the community - a social enterprise, a showroom for local artists or an information centre - and stop the high street being boarded up.

"Town centres are the heartbeat of every community and businesses are the foundation so it is vital they remain vibrant places for people to meet and shop throughout the downturn."