Economic decline destabilises community resilience, creating resentments which the far right can exploit. A crumbling public realm often acts as a lightning rod for anxieties about jobs or opportunities. It can form a visible emblem of loss, making it easier for those who wish to sow division to blame outsiders.

 

This applies whether it’s a row of shops falling into disuse, a pub closing, or an iconic retailer shutting its local branch. Now more than ever this is a ‘live issue’, thanks to the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the high street.

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Using Empty Spaces looks at how empty spaces can be a vehicle for challenging decline narratives and for strengthening the social fabric. ​It is primarily for those who are not experts in this field of policy, but who can see its relevance to their work and want to understand it better.

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It is of particular use to two audiences: cohesion officers and community teams at local authorities, especially those in areas facing decline on the high street or a fraying public realm; and potential occupiers of empty spaces, including charities, start-ups, arts organisations and community groups.