Leaders of the vaping and gambling industries have pushed back against the idea that they are "unwanted shops", after prime minister Keir Starmer on Thursday (Sept 25) unveiled a high street revival plan, giving councils the ability to block unwanted retail premises.
Starmer's Pride in Place programme is an unprecedented programme backed by record funding, that lets local people call the shots on where and how money is spent in their communities, thus restoring local pride and helping them reclaim their streets.
Among other things, the nationwide Pride in Place programme will give the communities the power to block unwanted shops by empowering councils in England to say no to new betting shops, vapes stores and fake barbers.
However, the plan is being met with a sharp response from the vape industry leaders, , saying they are helping "millions" move away from smoking.
According to UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), the plan sends a wrong message and will wreck the country’s smokefree ambitions.
UKVIA Director General John Dunne said, “This announcement may make good headlines but we need prioritise sound policy over sound bites when it comes to protecting public health.
“Vaping is the most effective method of helping adult smokers quit, poses only a tiny fraction of the health risks of smoking, yet nearly six-in-ten adults wrongly believe that it is as harmful or more harmful than smoking.”
Dunne said that allowing local residents, who cannot be expected to understand the nuances of tobacco harm reduction the ability to effectively veto applications for vape shops is not the answer.
He added: “Linking vape stores in the ‘unwanted shops’ category with the likes of betting shops and fake barbers, will harm communities by driving up smoking rates. Specialist vape stores provide a much-needed service to their communities by educating smokers on much safer ways of consuming tobacco.
“We agree with the government that there are unsuitable establishments on the high street where vapes should not be sold, such as fast-food establishments, sweet shops, nail bars, taxi offices and hairdressers, and this is where the focus of any clampdown should be."
UKVIA is calling on for a compulsory vape retail licensing scheme to ensure that unsuitable businesses are not allowed so sell vapes and those who do so, operate to the highest possible standards.
“The real answer is to allow town planners to make planning decisions to make decisions based on facts not emotions, while ensuring that the public have confidence that their local vape retailers are providing a much-needed service to help adult smokers quit while those under 18 have the safeguards they need," he added.
It is also being said that banning certain types of businesses will lead to more stores lying empty and the key lies on lower business rates and incentives for independent shops to open up.
According to Conservative leader of North Lincolnshire Council Rob Waltham, the UK needs on high street is a range of businesses doing different things.
"The challenge is that the tax regime is against businesses. So the government can't just change this [powers to ban shops] and think that will fix the high street. They have to make it more attractive for businesses to set up in the first place," BBC quoted Waltham as saying.
The programme will also see 169 areas receive £2 million every year for a decade, with a further 95 areas receiving an immediate £1.5 million to upgrade public spaces.