UK Councils to Get Powers to Block New Vape and Betting Shops

The UK government has announced new planning rules that will require every new vape shop to apply to their local council for permission to open, and will give councils greater power to reject applications for new betting shops. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said town centres had been "hollowed out" by decades of decline and launched the measures as part of a "10-year plan to bring back hope" to struggling high streets.

Key Measures Announced

The government's package includes: mandatory planning permission for all new e-cigarette and vape shops in England; a tightened definition of a vape shop to prevent businesses dodging the rules by calling themselves general convenience stores; scrapping the "aim to permit" rule that currently restricts councils' ability to refuse new betting shops; mandatory planning permission for new adult gaming centres offering 24-hour access to gambling machines; and extended closure orders of up to 12 months for mini-marts and vape shops found to be selling illegal tobacco or e-cigarettes.

Political Reaction

The Conservative and Reform parties said the proposals would lead to more empty shops without accompanying tax relief for other small businesses. The BBC has previously exposed organised crime on high streets across the UK, including shops selling illegal cigarettes, cannabis and enabling money laundering. Burnham said his measures would give councils real tools to control what opens on their high streets.