Hebden Bridge, once a haven for hippies, has been named as the community with the most varied high street in the country. And, according to the town's mayor, it's all thanks to the town's gay community.
A survey by the New Economics Foundation think tank has found more than 40 per cent of 100 urban centres are becoming bland "clone towns" dominated by major chain stores. It claims a further 26 per cent are in danger of losing their distinctiveness as independent traders are forced out. But while only a third of town centres have retained their local character, Hebden Bridge stands out as a thriving centre, staging "a remarkable comeback after struggling in the 1960s".
In contrast to the cathedral city of Exeter, which has only one independent shop on its high street, Hebden Bridge, which has gained a reputation as one the UK's leading gay-friendly towns, has only a handful of chain stores and prides itself on having a "good range of small shops which deliver the resident and visitor alike that same friendly service".
The think tank's policy director Andrew Simms said the dwindling number of independent shops and a lack of variety on the high street eroded the identity of communities.
It is calling for planning laws to promote opportunities for locally-owned stores and also wants a moratorium on existing food stores being taken over by larger supermarket chains.
"Clone stores have a triple whammy on communities: they bleed the local economy of money, destroy the social glue provided by real local shops that holds communities together, and they steal the identity of our towns and cities," he said.
The Mayor of Hebden Royd, Coun Stewart Brown, said the transformation of Hebden Bridge had been "fantastic".
"It used to be known for ley lines more than anything but now I think it's known as much for its lattes," he said. "It's got lots of great little shops. We have the largest lesbian community in the country and they have helped transform the character of the town."
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