Recommendation 3

We recommend that the Government conduct a full lessons learned review that specifically examines the impact of the handling of the pandemic at central and local government level on the short- and long-term health of high streets and town centres. The Government may wish to consider high streets in its independent inquiry into the Government’s handling of the pandemic, but given the pressing challenges facing the high street it should conduct a separate review immediately. The review should consider the various schemes on an individual basis as well as differential impacts by sector and by geography. It should consider the value for money of schemes that supported the high street, including how taxpayer money lost to fraud and error could have been prevented. The review should also consider how well high street businesses have been supported to implement covid-19 public health measures, such as the Test and Trace system, social distancing, and guidance on wearing face coverings. As well as considering lessons learned, the review should consider opportunities arising from the covid-19 pandemic for future policy development to support high streets and help them evolve in a post-pandemic world.