Supporting Our Highstreets
Our high streets are at the heart of our community – but right now, local businesses are under increasing strain. Rising costs, recruitment challenges and a lack of long-term government strategy are leaving too many shops and small enterprises struggling to survive.
Charlie is championing the Liberal Democrat call to “buy local, back Britain” by supporting our high streets and local enterprises. Recently, he brought Parliament’s cross-party Business and Trade Select Committee to Witney to meet business leaders, hear their concerns and see the town’s strengths first-hand. The evidence gathered will now feed into national recommendations to boost local business.
The Government must act now to protect and grow our high streets and businesses. Local shops and enterprises are the backbone of our economy, and we need to give them the support they deserve.
Charlie Maynard MP
What are the challenges facing our high streets?
💷 Rising costs – Small businesses are being hit by soaring energy bills, higher rents, and supply chain pressures.
👩💼 Recruitment difficulties – Many employers are struggling to recruit and retain staff, leaving gaps in the workforce and businesses under strain.
🅿️ Parking issues – Business leaders have raised the need for free parking to help attract shoppers back to the high street.
📉 Lack of long-term government strategy – With no clear plan from the Government, local shops and enterprises face uncertainty about their future.
What is Charlie doing to help?
Charlie has been:
✔️ Bringing the Business and Trade Select Committee to Witney to put local voices at the heart of national policy-making.
✔️ Championing the Liberal Democrat plan to “buy local, back Britain” so that communities and small businesses get the support they need.
✔️ Calling for fairer government policies to ease the burden on small businesses.
✔️ Working with local business leaders to identify practical solutions that will help high streets thrive.
What can residents do to help?
There are two key ways you can support our high streets:
🛍️ Shop local whenever you can – choosing local businesses helps keep money in our community and protects local jobs.
🗳️ Back Liberal Democrat candidates – so we can keep fighting for strong, vibrant high streets in West Oxfordshire and the Vale.
Pledge Your Support for Our Highstreets
Supporting local shops means supporting our neighbours. When we buy local, we keep our high streets vibrant, our communities connected, and our town centres full of life.