Scottish Conservatives John Lamont MP and Rachael Hamilton MSP are backing plans to scrap business rates in order to save the area’s high streets.
Lamont and Hamilton say the proposals from Scottish Conservative party leader Douglas Ross would give a boost to struggling high streets, where footfall has fallen by nearly 40 per cent this year.
The party’s proposals would also incentivise redeveloping long-term unoccupied premises into housing, while Douglas Ross also set out a town centre action plan in September.
The Borders politicians say giving powers to councils to exempt high streets from paying business rates would give an urgent regeneration boost to struggling retailers.
Both Lamont and Hamilton backed plans over the summer to revive town centres across the Borders and want to see more done to tackle unoccupied premises and declining footfall.
Rachael Hamilton MSP said:
“We need to rebuild our communities and Douglas Ross has spelled out how we can do that.
“Our high streets have suffered long before Covid, but the pandemic has compounded the decline further.
“I am glad that our party has well-thought through plans which will provide a real boost to our local high streets.
"We held a virtual Borders Business Roundtable, a few months and people were eager for improvements across our town centres.
“That’s in stark contrast to the SNP who only want to take the Borders back to another divisive independence referendum.”
John Lamont MP said:
“Our high streets have been struggling for years and that has only worsened due to the Covid pandemic.
“The proposals from the Scottish Conservatives to exempt high streets from paying business rates will be a huge boost to help regenerate them.
“I want to see Borders’ towns and their centres thriving again post-Covid, where people spend and shop locally.
“By also allowing councils to redevelop long-term empty premises into housing, will make the Borders an even more attractive place to live”.
