Cooking up new policy ideas…?

“I love mushroom omelette.

🍄‍🟫 Oh look, someone’s given us mushrooms in the King’s Speech.

🥚 But wait… no eggs or milk…?

Guess we’ll just have to manage with fried mushrooms then.

☹️ I like that too but… Pity.”

👨‍🍳 With apologies for all those who tuned in for a tackling #highstreet vacancy thread and think they’ve found themselves in the middle of a cooking show…

…but I’m just trying to come up with words to describe how I feel about the ‘King’s Speech’ from a town and city centres perspective.

🙃 Don’t get me wrong, mention of a ‘#community right to buy’ is welcome but it seems odd to introduce solo, without the other elements of a tackling vacancy approach.

Now you could just dismiss me as empty shops guy grumpy cos only one of the 11 elements of our #TheVacantShopsAcademy #HighstreetsManifesto made it (go on then, say so…😉)

…but I honestly believe that #placemaking experience shows you need all those elements to make a real impact, not least the top one:

“Ask (and resource) every local authority to report on vacancy numbers twice a year, and work with #property agents, landlords, businesses, community and BID where there is one to overcome barriers to let…”

⏳ So I guess we wait now.

After all, even a trainee chef knows you can’t make an omelette without…

🤔 Or am I wrong. Please say.