Bassetlaw Council given new Government powers to auction off empty high street shops

From this week, Bassetlaw Council will be able to auction off leases for commercial properties that have been empty for long periods, helping bring business back to the high street and drive growth across the country.

High Street Rental Auctions will create a ‘right to rent’ for businesses and community groups, giving them access to city, town and village centre sites.

The changes will stop disengaged landlords sitting on empty lots for more than 365 days in a 24-month period, before councils can auction a one-to-five year lease.

However, before putting a property to a rental auction, a local authority must first seek to resolve the vacancy by engaging with the landlord.

Bassetlaw is one of four local authorities that will lead the way as enthusiastic early adopters of the powers, along with Mansfield, Darlington, and Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole – the latter joining the programme in an advisory role as critical friends.

Additional local authorities have been invited to join the programme at a later stage, though it has not been revealed which authorities those are.

The Government is committing more than £1m in funding to support the auction process.

Nottingham North & Kimberley MP and local growth minister Alex Norris (Lab), said: “High streets lie at the heart of communities the length and breadth of this country.

But in many areas, they are not what they used to be.

“Small businesses need our support and that’s why we are creating a ‘right to rent’ so that high street lots that have been left empty for far too long can be brought back to life.

"We want shops and shoppers back on the high street – and that’s what these changes will help to bring.”

Jonathan Reynolds MP (Lab), business secretary, added: "Empty shop premises that gather dust aren't doing any good to high streets, jobs and the economy.

"This is why we said we'd lift the shutters and we are delivering on that promise.

"Paired with the wider small business strategy to tackle late payments, getting more SMEs exporting, and boosting access to finance, we are unashamedly backing small firms, to get more people into well paid jobs and help grow our economy.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, making up 99 per cent of UK companies and employing more than 60 per cent of the workforce.

"When they thrive, the country thrives – that’s why the Government has already announced a number of other changes to back small businesses including, freezing the small business multiplier, protecting 90 per cent of properties from inflationary increases in business rate liabilities, announcing the intention to introduce permanently lower business tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties from 2026-27, committing £250m in 2025-26 for the British Business Bank’s small business loans programmes and increasing the employment allowance from £5,000 to £10,500 and removing the £100,000 threshold, expanding this to all eligible employers.”

Jo White (Lab), Bassetlaw MP, said: This is a problem that has blighted our town centres for too long.

"There are too many empty properties that are a line on a spreadsheet of remote businesses and pension schemes.

"They don't have the slightest interest in what is going on in the real world in areas like ours.

“These vacant shops significantly contribute to the downward spiral of our high streets.

“This new proposal gives local businesses and communities the ability to take them over, to open them up and give people a good reason to go into town. This will be a welcome breath of fresh air for places like Worksop and Retford.

Coun Steve Scotthorne (Lab), cabinet member for identity and place at Bassetlaw Council, said: “We welcome these new powers to tackle empty high street shops as part of our ongoing commitment to revitalise and regenerate our town centres.

“Being part of the ‘early adopters programme’ will provide an opportunity for us to get early advice and support, using this new legislation, to target the challenge of vacant units.

"We’ll consider a report at cabinet in the new year looking at proposed consultation and community engagement to designate areas where the new powers can be used.”