{"id":24,"date":"2026-11-06T23:19:49","date_gmt":"2026-11-06T23:19:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/our-high-streets-do-not-need-another-vape-shop-they-need-a-reason-to-visit\/"},"modified":"2026-11-12T01:41:06","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T01:41:06","slug":"our-high-streets-do-not-need-another-vape-shop-they-need-a-reason-to-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/our-high-streets-do-not-need-another-vape-shop-they-need-a-reason-to-visit\/","title":{"rendered":"Our high streets do not need another vape shop \u2013 they need a reason to visit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>CUT the rates, fill the empty units with something useful and people will come back.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Walk through almost any town centre and you can count the shutters. One in seven shops is empty, and the rest seem to sell phone cases.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ne-block ne-bm-image ne-block-db7ea30\"><figure class=\"ne-bm-image__figure\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/11\/pixabay-photo-315756-1024x768.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"Asphalt, wallpaper 4k, crack, background, line\" srcset=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/11\/pixabay-photo-315756-1024x768.webp 1024w, https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/11\/pixabay-photo-315756-300x225.webp 300w, https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/11\/pixabay-photo-315756-768x576.webp 768w, https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/11\/pixabay-photo-315756.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"ne-bm-image__caption\">Also in Opinion: THE SPARK SAYS \u2013 Fixing potholes is not glamorous, but it is what voters notice <small>Source: Pixabay<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It does not have to be this way. Towns that have cut rents for independent traders have seen footfall rise within a year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ne-econ ne-econ--parent ne-block ne-container ne-econ-8741651 ne-econ--flex ne-econ--full\"><div class=\"ne-block ne-section-heading ne-block-e08470f alignleft\"><div class=\"ne-heading is-plain\"><h3 class=\"ne-heading-title\"><span class=\"ne-heading-text\">Sign up for the <em>Opinion<\/em> newsletter<\/span><\/h3><\/div><\/div><div class=\"ne-block ne-newsletter ne-block-1e2b397\"><form class=\"ne-nl\" method=\"post\" action=\"#\" onsubmit=\"return false;\">\n\t<div class=\"ne-nl-row\">\n\t\t\t\t<input class=\"ne-nl-input ne-nl-email\" type=\"email\" name=\"email\" required placeholder=\"Email address\" aria-label=\"Email address\">\n\t\t<button class=\"ne-nl-btn\" type=\"submit\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up\t\t<\/button>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/form>\n<\/div><div class=\"ne-block ne-section-heading ne-block-51a5c89 alignleft\"><div class=\"ne-heading is-plain\"><div class=\"ne-heading-title\"><span class=\"ne-heading-text\">Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"ne-block ne-inline-related ne-block-9724b5d\"><aside class=\"ne-ir ne-ir--twoup\" aria-label=\"Related articles\">\n<div class=\"ne-ir-head\"><span class=\"ne-ir-label\">Read more in Opinion<\/span><span class=\"ne-ir-rule\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/div><div class=\"ne-ir-grid\"><article class=\"ne-ir-item\"><a class=\"ne-ir-thumb\" href=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/fixing-potholes-is-not-glamorous-but-it-is-what-voters-notice\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/11\/pixabay-photo-315756-768x576.webp\" class=\"ne-ir-img wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/11\/pixabay-photo-315756-768x576.webp 768w, https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/11\/pixabay-photo-315756-300x225.webp 300w, https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/11\/pixabay-photo-315756-1024x768.webp 1024w, https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/11\/pixabay-photo-315756.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><div class=\"ne-ir-cat\">Opinion<\/div><a class=\"ne-ir-title\" href=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/fixing-potholes-is-not-glamorous-but-it-is-what-voters-notice\/\"><span class=\"ne-pretitle\" style=\"--ne-cat:#eb1701\">The Spark says<\/span> Fixing potholes is not glamorous, but it is what voters notice<\/a><\/article><article class=\"ne-ir-item\"><a class=\"ne-ir-thumb\" href=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/football-is-pricing-out-the-very-fans-who-made-it\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/pixabay-photo-2921657-768x500.webp\" class=\"ne-ir-img wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/pixabay-photo-2921657-768x500.webp 768w, https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/pixabay-photo-2921657-300x195.webp 300w, https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/pixabay-photo-2921657-1024x666.webp 1024w, https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/pixabay-photo-2921657.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><div class=\"ne-ir-cat\">Opinion<\/div><a class=\"ne-ir-title\" href=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/football-is-pricing-out-the-very-fans-who-made-it\/\"><span class=\"ne-pretitle\" style=\"--ne-cat:#eb1701\">Dan Ford<\/span> Football is pricing out the very fans who made it<\/a><\/article><\/div><\/aside>\n<\/div><div class=\"ne-block ne-bm-heading ne-block-5894065\"><h2 class=\"ne-bm-heading__title\">What works<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"ne-block ne-bm-icon-list ne-block-9a2b1b8 ne-bm-il--layout-traditional ne-bm-il--link-full_width\"><ul class=\"ne-bm-icon-list__items\"><li class=\"ne-bm-icon-list__item ne-repeater-item-f6828e2\"><span class=\"ne-bm-icon-list__icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"currentColor\" class=\"ne-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M16 8A8 8 0 1 1 0 8a8 8 0 0 1 16 0m-3.97-3.03a.75.75 0 0 0-1.08.022L7.477 9.417 5.384 7.323a.75.75 0 0 0-1.06 1.06L6.97 11.03a.75.75 0 0 0 1.079-.02l3.992-4.99a.75.75 0 0 0-.01-1.05z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"ne-bm-icon-list__text\">Free parking for the first hour<\/span><\/li><li class=\"ne-bm-icon-list__item ne-repeater-item-89da508\"><span class=\"ne-bm-icon-list__icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"currentColor\" class=\"ne-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M16 8A8 8 0 1 1 0 8a8 8 0 0 1 16 0m-3.97-3.03a.75.75 0 0 0-1.08.022L7.477 9.417 5.384 7.323a.75.75 0 0 0-1.06 1.06L6.97 11.03a.75.75 0 0 0 1.079-.02l3.992-4.99a.75.75 0 0 0-.01-1.05z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"ne-bm-icon-list__text\">Markets on a Saturday<\/span><\/li><li class=\"ne-bm-icon-list__item ne-repeater-item-444d08c\"><span class=\"ne-bm-icon-list__icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"currentColor\" class=\"ne-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M16 8A8 8 0 1 1 0 8a8 8 0 0 1 16 0m-3.97-3.03a.75.75 0 0 0-1.08.022L7.477 9.417 5.384 7.323a.75.75 0 0 0-1.06 1.06L6.97 11.03a.75.75 0 0 0 1.079-.02l3.992-4.99a.75.75 0 0 0-.01-1.05z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"ne-bm-icon-list__text\">A library that opens late<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"ne-block ne-bm-heading ne-block-b558614\"><h2 class=\"ne-bm-heading__title\">At a glance<\/h2><\/div><figure class=\"ne-block ne-bm-table ne-block-6ec1a07 ne-bm-table--scroll ne-bm-table--borders-rows wp-block-table\"><table class=\"ne-bm-table__table\"><thead class=\"ne-bm-table__head\"><tr><th scope=\"col\">Story file<\/th><th scope=\"col\"><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><th scope=\"row\" data-label=\"Story file\">Section<\/th><td data-label=\"\">Opinion<\/td><\/tr><tr><th scope=\"row\" data-label=\"Story file\">Topics<\/th><td data-label=\"\">Comment<\/td><\/tr><tr><th scope=\"row\" data-label=\"Story file\">Reporter<\/th><td data-label=\"\">Priya Nair<\/td><\/tr><tr><th scope=\"row\" data-label=\"Story file\">Published<\/th><td data-label=\"\">6 November 2026<\/td><\/tr><tr><th scope=\"row\" data-label=\"Story file\">Reading time<\/th><td data-label=\"\">1 min<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u201cNobody ever fell in love with a town because it had a retail park on the bypass.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"ne-block ne-bm-image ne-block-64af654\"><figure class=\"ne-bm-image__figure\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"666\" src=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/pixabay-photo-2921657-1024x666.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"Stadium, rows of seats, grandstand, sit, seats\" srcset=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/pixabay-photo-2921657-1024x666.webp 1024w, https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/pixabay-photo-2921657-300x195.webp 300w, https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/pixabay-photo-2921657-768x500.webp 768w, https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/pixabay-photo-2921657.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"ne-bm-image__caption\">Also in Opinion: DAN FORD \u2013 Football is pricing out the very fans who made it <small>Source: Pixabay<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"ne-block ne-inline-related ne-block-9f1491c\"><aside class=\"ne-ir ne-ir--list\" aria-label=\"Related articles\">\n<div class=\"ne-ir-label\">Most read in Opinion<\/div><div class=\"ne-ir-rows\"><div class=\"ne-ir-row\"><span class=\"ne-ir-num\" aria-hidden=\"true\">1<\/span><div class=\"ne-ir-text\"><a class=\"ne-ir-title\" href=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/ten-happiest-places-to-live-revealed\/\"><span class=\"ne-pretitle\" style=\"--ne-cat:#b65680\">Happy days<\/span> From seaside gem to historic market town, the ten happiest places to live revealed \u2013 is YOUR town on the list?<\/a><div class=\"ne-ir-meta\">Money \u00b7 3 min read<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"ne-ir-row\"><span class=\"ne-ir-num\" aria-hidden=\"true\">2<\/span><div class=\"ne-ir-text\"><a class=\"ne-ir-title\" href=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/snow-shuts-two-hundred-schools-as-drivers-abandon-cars-on-the-pennine-pass\/\"><span class=\"ne-pretitle\" style=\"--ne-cat:#3a79bb\">Cold snap<\/span> Snow shuts two hundred schools as drivers abandon cars on the Pennine pass<\/a><div class=\"ne-ir-meta\">UK News \u00b7 1 min read<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"ne-ir-row\"><span class=\"ne-ir-num\" aria-hidden=\"true\">3<\/span><div class=\"ne-ir-text\"><a class=\"ne-ir-title\" href=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/soap-favourite-dana-marsh-quits-harbour-lane-after-eleven-years\/\"><span class=\"ne-pretitle\" style=\"--ne-cat:#8a69a9\">Split shock<\/span> Soap favourite Dana Marsh quits Harbour Lane after eleven years<\/a><div class=\"ne-ir-meta\">Showbiz \u00b7 1 min read<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"ne-ir-row\"><span class=\"ne-ir-num\" aria-hidden=\"true\">4<\/span><div class=\"ne-ir-text\"><a class=\"ne-ir-title\" href=\"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/rovers-land-striker-tobi-mensah-in-record-40m-swoop\/\"><span class=\"ne-pretitle\" style=\"--ne-cat:#208662\">Deadline drama<\/span> Rovers land striker Tobi Mensah in record \u00a340m swoop<\/a><div class=\"ne-ir-meta\">Football \u00b7 1 min read<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The high street is worth saving. It only needs somebody in the town hall to want to.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cut the rates, fill the empty units with something useful and people will come back.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":231,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ne_pretitle":"Mira Holt","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[28],"class_list":["post-24","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-opinion","tag-comment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webangon.com\/sites\/newselement\/spark\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}