PM Announces New Powers to Block Vape and Betting Shops and Revive High Streets

The government has unveiled a package of measures designed to give local councils greater control over what opens on town centre high streets, including new planning requirements for vape retailers and tougher local powers to prevent new betting venues.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said many town centres had been "hollowed out" by decades of decline and that "for many people, the high streets they grew up with have become unrecognisable." He framed the reforms as part of a wider effort to restore local services, community spaces and footfall to town centres.

What the Government Is Proposing

• Planning Permission For Vape Shops (England only) – New shops whose primary business is the sale of e-cigarettes or vapes would need to apply to the local council for planning permission before opening.
• Tighter Definition Of Vape Shops (England only) – The legal definition of a vape shop would be narrowed so operators cannot evade the rules by describing themselves as general convenience stores or generic retailers.
• Abolition Of The "Aim To Permit" Rule (Great Britain-wide) – The rule that currently limits councils’ ability to refuse applications for new betting shops and 24-hour slot machine venues would be scrapped.
• Planning Permission For Adult Gaming Centres (England only) – New adult gaming centres offering round-the-clock access to gambling machines would require planning approval.
• Extended Closure Orders (England and Wales) – Closure orders for mini-marts and vape shops found to be selling illegal tobacco could be extended for up to 12 months.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) estimates that at least £1bn of criminal cash is laundered each year through high street shops via activities connected to counterfeit goods, tax evasion, illegal working and illicit drug sales. The move follows extensive BBC reporting that exposed organised crime using some high street premises to sell illegal tobacco and vapes, traffic drugs, facilitate illegal working and enable suspected money laundering.

Reaction

Responses were mixed. The Conservatives and Reform UK warned the new planning burdens could deter legitimate businesses, leaving more empty units unless accompanied by business-rate relief and other support. Conservative shadow communities secretary Sir James Cleverly criticised recent increases in business rates and warned tougher regulation alone could produce "more empty and boarded up shops."

Liberal Democrat and Green Party spokespeople urged stronger enforcement and wider measures such as business-rate reform or rent controls for small firms. The Betting and Gaming Council backed tougher action against criminal operators while noting thousands of betting shops have closed since 2019.

Councillor Eamonn O'Brien, chair of the Local Government Association, welcomed giving councils and communities "a greater say" over the mix of shops and services on their high streets.

Context and Enforcement

The government has already launched a £30m enforcement operation targeting high street businesses suspected of money laundering, tax evasion and illegal working. Multi-agency raids involving police, HMRC, Trading Standards and Immigration Enforcement have taken place across the country in response to intelligence and BBC investigations. Previous raids uncovered clandestine tunnels used to supply illegal cigarettes and identified thousands of illegal shops operating nationally.

Downing Street said the prime minister will use a tour of the UK as a listening exercise while developing a 10-year plan "to bring back hope" to town centres. The reforms aim to return community uses and lawful businesses to high streets and to reduce the criminal exploitation of shop fronts.