The Courier, The Press and Journal, and The Sunday Post joined forces to launch the Fresh Start campaign, a coordinated effort to revive Scotland’s struggling high streets and place the future of town centres at the heart of public debate. Combining reporting, reader experiences, analysis and political scrutiny, the campaign sought to highlight both the challenges facing local economies and practical solutions to help communities thrive.
At the centre of the campaign was a call for reform of business rates relief rules. The newspapers argued that vacant retail and commercial properties should receive an immediate 12-month exemption from business rates, rather than only after standing empty for six months. The campaign contended that this simple change could encourage new businesses to take on empty premises, bring activity back to town centres and support long-term economic renewal.
The titles used a series of joint front pages to launch the initiative and shine a spotlight on the growing number of empty units across Scotland’s towns and cities. Alongside highlighting businesses and communities already succeeding in difficult circumstances, the campaign examined the economic pressures facing high streets and the barriers preventing regeneration.
Editors across the three titles stressed that the campaign was focused on practical action rather than nostalgia, arguing that local economies need meaningful support if communities are to flourish. The campaign sought not only to raise awareness of the challenges facing town centres, but also to press policymakers to adopt reforms capable of delivering tangible change.
Fresh Start demonstrates the power of regional journalism to unite communities around a common cause and advocate for policies with the potential to make a lasting difference. By bringing together three major Scottish news brands behind a shared campaign, the initiative amplified public concern about declining high streets and created a platform for a national conversation about how town and city centres can be revitalised for future generations.
