00:00High streets across the North East have suffered a dramatic decline over the past decade, according to new research from Help Equity North.
00:07The report reveals a stark picture of shrinking community infrastructure in towns and cities across Tynanwea, Northumberland and County Durham,
00:15where once essential services like banks, supermarkets and public toilets have disappeared, replaced by a sharp rise in vape shops and takeaways.
00:24In Newcastle, vape shops have surged by an astonishing 1,309% since 2014, while the number of banks has fallen by 34%, public toilets by 57% and supermarkets by 12%.
00:37County Durham have seen similarly dramatic transformations, but with an even bigger amount of 26% fall in supermarkets.
00:45South Tyneside now have 60% fewer department stores than a decade ago,
00:49and other areas like Gateshead and Sunderland have seen significant increases in takeaway outlets, around 50% for both.
00:56The researchers from Newcastle University and the University of Manchester warn that these changes are hollowing out local high streets,
01:04disproportionately affecting deprived communities across the region.
01:07The disappearance of essential services is not just inconvenient, it has real impact on health, safety and social connection.
01:14Professor Clare Bambra, co-director of Health Equity North, described the trend as the result of a devastating succession of shocks,
01:22from austerity to the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis.
01:26The North East has been hit hardest, she said.
01:29There are fewer places to buy essentials or access basic services, and far more outlets that do little to support community health.
01:36The report calls for urgent government action, recommending that local councils be given the power to block the spread of unhealthy businesses.
