Basildon restricts new vape and barber shops in areas with high concentration
Council aims to diversify town centre's retail mix
Basildon Borough Council has decided to prohibit vape and barber shops from opening in its shop spaces where there is already a high presence of such businesses.
During a meeting on Thursday, 18th June, Reform UK councillor David Abrahall proposed the ban, describing the current shopping experience in the town centre as offering "very little more than a handful of businesses offering the same thing."
Abrahall advocated for a more diverse retail offering in the town centre, suggesting that a mix of businesses could foster a more successful environment.
"This seems to be a perfectly responsible approach," Abrahall said. "Perhaps it will allow another independent retailer to establish themselves. Perhaps it will encourage another family business."
Fellow Reform UK councillor Darren Gardner told the meeting the “issue is the concentration” of these businesses.
He added, “When residents walk through parts of our borough seeing businesses, after businesses offering the exact same thing, they rightly start asking if anyone is taking a strategic view of our high streets.”
Gavin Callaghan, former Labour leader of the council, said the ban is not needed. He told the meeting, “We have over 200 units that this council owns, across the borough, and at this moment in time, we have four barber shops and one vape shop. It does not make commercial sense for Basildon Council to put loads of vape shops and loads of barbers into our units, we don’t do it anyway.”
The decision comes amidst significant developments in Basildon Town Centre, including new entertainment venues like the Vue Cinema, restaurants, and the construction of 492 homes in the area.