“Successful high streets need effective place-making and place-management” IoL tells Parliament

The Institute of Licensing (IoL) has submitted evidence to Parliament’s inquiry into revitalising England’s high streets, arguing that successful town and city centres depend not only on planning and regeneration, but also on strong ongoing regulation, enforcement and partnership working.

In its written submission to the House of Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, the IoL said that planning authorities play a key role in creating places through development, regeneration and land-use decisions, while licensing authorities are responsible for managing those places through compliance, enforcement, public protection and partnership working. The Institute said both functions are essential if high streets are to remain vibrant, safe and sustainable.

The submission supports efforts to tackle organised crime and improve local influence over the future of high streets, but cautions that planning reform alone will not deliver lasting regeneration. Instead, the IoL highlighted the importance of collaboration between licensing authorities, planning teams, trading standards, police, businesses and communities. It pointed to initiatives including Purple Flag, Best Bar None, Pubwatch and Community Alcohol Partnerships as examples of successful partnership-led place management.

Addressing concerns about concentrations of businesses such as betting shops, vape retailers and barbers, the IoL warned against assuming particular sectors are inherently problematic. The submission states that many such businesses operate lawfully and responsibly and that regulatory attention should focus on criminality, illicit trade, money laundering and persistent non-compliance rather than business type alone. The Institute argued that intelligence-led enforcement is the most appropriate response where problems arise.

The IoL also commented on proposed reforms to gambling regulation, including suggestions to remove the Gambling Act 2005 “aim to permit” principle. While recognising the intention to give councils greater discretion, the Institute warned that removing the principle could create regulatory uncertainty and should only be considered alongside a clear and nationally consistent decision-making framework.

On enforcement, the Institute said that both trading standards and licensing services have experienced significant resource pressures despite generally having sufficient statutory powers. It argued that high street improvement initiatives will only succeed if local regulatory functions are adequately resourced and recognised as an integral part of place management.

The written submission was followed by oral evidence from Sue Nelson, the IoL’s Director of Policy and Stakeholders, who appeared before the Committee on 13 October 2026. According to the Institute, the evidence session examined enforcement, criminality, regulatory powers and wider factors affecting perceptions of decline in town centres.