Its so sad to see our high streets boarded up. It doesn't reflect the vibrant business community we have here in Bicester, some of whom would love to have shops here, but despite empty premises, can’t move in because of sky high business rates.
On 12th June, I launched plans to breathe new life into our high streets in Bicester, Kidlington and Woodstock. Labour will:
scrap business rates replacing them with a fairer system,
give power to councils to reopen empty shops, and
make sure our streets feel safe with new laws to protect shoppers and retail workers, backed up by police presence.
Our approach as Labour is underpinned by an end to the economic chaos of recent years. We will operate under strong economic rules that give business the confidence to invest in the long term.
It was great to talk to people running businesses in Bicester at the Wednesday Breakfast Club about their priorities and how Labour's plans can help.
You can read Labour's full plan for small businesses here: https://labour.org.uk/updates/members-updates/the-beating-heart-of-our-economy-labours-plan-for-small-business/
