A Somerset MP has called on the government to take urgent action to stop the decline of rural high streets.
Adam Dance, Liberal Democrat MP for Yeovil, highlighted the closures of banks, businesses, pharmacies, and cultural spaces in South Somerset during a Westminster Hall debate.
He said: "As in many rural areas across the country, high street services in my constituency of Yeovil have slowly vanished."
Mr Dance pointed out the recent closures of Lloyds Bank in Ilminster and Chard, and the lack of a banking hub in these areas.
He urged the government to reassess LINK's criteria for banking hubs, considering rural geography and travel times.
The MP also highlighted the strain on local businesses, including the closure of the popular Kazbar in Yeovil, and called for a reform of the "broken business rates system."
He suggested a commercial landowner levy to tax land value fairly.
Mr Dance also raised concerns about the pressure on community pharmacies, which he said play a vital role in rural healthcare but face increasing financial difficulties.
He called on the government to exempt pharmacies from the upcoming rise in employer National Insurance contributions.
He praised the recent investment in Yeovil’s new amphitheatre at The Triangle but warned that funding cuts have left local authorities struggling to deliver similar projects.
Mr Dance said: "The tide of closures on our high streets must be reversed."
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