THE managing director of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce has called for ‘robust action’ to help the struggling high street.

A recent study from the British Retail Association (BRC) said that Britain had lost 6,000 shopfronts in the past five years, with ‘crippling’ business rates and the pandemic playing a large part in our stagnating high streets.

In Carlisle there are a host of empty shop fronts in prominent places on English Street and Lowther Street, which the Chamber of Commerce has called a ‘concern’.

The managing director of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Caldwell, said: “The gaps in the bigger premises have a particular impact, leaving gaping and very obvious holes, but smaller empty premises are also an issue.

“Although not closed, the state of the House of Fraser is a very central blot on the landscape.

“There is a need for robust action on a number of fronts to address this.

“A number of bodies, Chambers included, have been pushing nationally for business rates reform for many years now, while the situation has continued to worsen.

"Action on this is urgent.

“Carlisle is an attractive city with some fantastic assets, as well as great developments such as those at the University, but they cannot overcome the challenges of retail, and particularly high street retail.

“Retail alone is not the solution, which lies in a combination of city/town centre living, leisure and entertainment activities and retail.

"But it is a vital part of the mix.”

Ms Caldwell’s call for business rate reform has been echoed by the BRC who said that the current plan could leave ‘gap-toothed high streets’ which risk becoming ‘inviable’ in the future.

The Labour candidate for Carlisle, Julie Minns, said: “We have some fantastic independent shops like Castle Chocolates, Ashbridge and Brown and Bookends, that against the odds are proving retail can be viable. But they’re being held back.

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“If we form the next Government, we will help small businesses slash their energy costs, crack down on late payments to high street firms, and give councils new powers to take over empty shops.

“We also need to give people other reasons to visit the city centre, and attractions like Tullie, the Cathedral, the Castle and the much-missed Turkish Baths, all have an important role to play in the revival of our high streets."

There is hope that the redevelopment of the citadels by the University of Cumbria can provide a boost to the city centre and it is also hoped that the government’s announcement that they are making changes of use to vacant units easier can provide a stronger high street going forward.