What Makes a Good Town? Five Key Ingredients

Britain's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has made a big promise: he wants to give the country's towns and high streets a fresh start. He says that places outside the big cities have been forgotten for too long. More than four times as many people in Britain live in a town than a city, so this issue affects millions. Experts say fixing struggling towns will take action in five key areas.

For years, big cities like Manchester have grown much faster than smaller towns. Manchester's population grew by almost a third in recent decades, while many towns grew slowly or lost people. The town of Rishton in Lancashire has lost 13% of its population, and Peterlee in County Durham has lost 11%. These towns need help to attract people and jobs back.

One big reason some towns struggle is deprivation, which means people lack money, jobs, good health care, or safe housing. The government measures this using something called the Index of Multiple Deprivation. Jaywick Sands in Essex has ranked as the most deprived area in England since 2010. Towns in the north of England, the Midlands, and along the coast tend to have the most deprived neighborhoods.

Jobs and income are very important for a town's health. When people earn good wages and have steady work, they spend money at local shops, which keeps the high street alive. Boston in Lincolnshire has the lowest resident earnings in Great Britain — people there earn about half as much as people in St Albans. Towns with low employment find it harder to keep their shops and services running, so businesses close and the town looks emptier.

Local councils — the groups that run towns and cities — also need enough money to provide good services. After more than a decade of spending cuts, many councils struggle to pay for roads, libraries, and support for businesses. Spending was cut by about a quarter between 2010 and 2019, and the poorest areas were hit hardest. Experts say spending won't fully recover until at least 2028.

Good transport links are another key ingredient for a healthy town. If people can't easily get to shops or workplaces, the whole town suffers. During the 2010s, more than one in four bus services were cut across England, and small towns lost the most. Burnham has made cheaper bus fares and more public control over transport a top priority for his government.

The high street itself is a sign of how healthy a town is. Online shopping has grown from less than 3% of all retail sales in 2006 to more than 25% today, causing many traditional shops to close. In Newport, Wales, nearly 19% of all shop units are empty, while London has just 7% despite much higher rents. When lots of shops are empty, it sends a clear message that a town is struggling.

Finally, arts, culture, and community life play a bigger role in a town's success than many people think. Strong communities — where people trust each other and join clubs and local groups — help local economies grow. But council spending on culture, sports, and libraries has been cut nearly in half since 2010, falling from about £92.84 per person to just £46.43. Rebuilding community life will take time and new investment, but experts say it is just as important as fixing roads or boosting jobs.