The government has announced a new strategy to grant local councils expanded authority to regulate high street businesses, specifically targeting the proliferation of vape shops and betting outlets. Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that town centres have been “hollowed out” by decades of decline, noting that “for many people, the high streets they grew up with have become unrecognisable.”
The proposed measures include significant changes to planning regulations. In England, every new shop selling e-cigarettes or vapes will be required to apply for specific planning permission. To prevent businesses from circumventing these rules by misclassifying themselves as general convenience stores, the government plans to tighten the legal definition of a vape shop. Additionally, planning permission will be mandated for new adult gaming centres that provide 24-hour access to gambling machines.
Across Great Britain, the government intends to scrap the “aim to permit” rule, which currently restricts the ability of local councils to refuse applications for new betting shops and 24-hour slot machine venues. Furthermore, new powers will allow authorities to extend closure orders for mini-marts and vape shops found to be selling illegal tobacco for up to twelve months, a measure previously proposed by former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
These policy shifts follow extensive reporting by regarding organized crime on the high street. Investigations have uncovered shops involved in the sale of illegal cigarettes, vapes, cannabis, and cocaine, as well as businesses linked to illegal working and suspected money laundering. The National Crime Agency estimates that at least £1bn of criminal proceeds is laundered annually through UK high street stores connected to fake goods, tax evasion, and drug supply.
Prime Minister Burnham emphasized that the rise of rogue operators has replaced essential community services. He stated that the government is “putting communities back in control” and providing local residents with a genuine say in their high street’s development. This initiative is part of a broader 10-year plan to revitalize town centres as the Prime Minister conducts a series of UK visits in “listening mode.”
The government’s announcement has drawn mixed reactions from political opponents. Conservative shadow communities secretary Sir James Cleverly argued that while rogue operators are a concern, Labour’s increases to business rates have left many units empty. He warned that without broader support for small businesses, stricter planning regulations could lead to more boarded-up shops. Similar concerns were raised by Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick, who called for the government to address “sky-high” business rates to avoid further economic damage to high streets.
The Liberal Democrats, represented by home affairs spokesman Max Wilkinson, suggested the plan might fail unless the government takes more aggressive action against “cowboy” operators and reforms the business rates system. Meanwhile, a Green Party spokesperson dismissed the proposals as “inadequate tinkering” and urged the government to implement rent controls for small businesses.
Industry representatives also weighed in, with the Betting and Gaming Council stating it supports action against criminal operators but noted that approximately 3,000 betting shops have closed since 2019. Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, chair of the Local Government Association, welcomed the move, describing it as a positive step toward giving communities greater influence over their local areas.
The government’s focus on high street crime follows a series of high-profile investigations. In April 2025, the accompanied the National Crime Agency on raids of barbers, mini-marts, and vape shops suspected of money laundering. Earlier, in May and June, investigators discovered secret underground tunnels in Hull used to supply illegal cigarettes to local shops. Freedom of Information requests previously identified 3,700 illegal shops operating across the UK.
In response to these findings, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood launched an urgent, multi-agency investigation involving the NCA, Immigration Enforcement, HMRC, and police forces. She stated that the evidence demonstrated a “broken system” and acted as a pull factor in the small boat crisis. Earlier this year, ministers also announced a £30m enforcement operation targeting businesses involved in money laundering and tax evasion.
The severity of the issue was highlighted in March, when the revealed that a senior council worker had repeatedly reported concerns to West Midlands authorities regarding children as young as 11 being sexually abused in high street mini-marts. Undercover reports also exposed the sale of illicit substances, including cocaine and laughing gas. Following these reports, six businesses in Cradely Heath, Sandwell, were forced to close after joint operations by police and Trading Standards.
One law enforcement source described a specific street in the West Midlands as “lawless” due to the concentration of criminal activity. The government’s new measures aim to address these systemic issues by empowering local councils to intervene more effectively in the management of their town centres.
The proposals come as the prime minister embarks on a tour of the UK, with Downing Street saying he will be in “listening mode” during his visits as he works on a “10-year plan to bring back hope”.
I said we would improve Britain’s high streets, and that’s exactly what we are starting to do.
A spokesperson for the industry body added it was “simply wrong” to suggest that betting shops are spreading “unchecked”, adding around 3,000 shops have closed since 2019.
For 18 months, has reported on high street organised crime, including drug gangs, money laundering, child sexual exploitation reports, immigration crime and ghost directors linked to shop fronts selling illegal cigarettes and illegal vapes.
In November, the exposed asylum seekers buying and selling high street mini-marts for cash and criminal kingpins erasing £60,000 illegal working fines, and revealed a Kurdish organised crime gang operating on high streets the length of Britain.
Additional reporting by Phill Edwards and Richard Wheeler
