What should be done with your local high street?

The Scottish Affairs Committee has launched a public survey to ask residents about what should be done with their local high street.

MPs launched the survey on Tuesday and asked residents to voice their views and concerns about their local town and city centres.

They want to know which shops and services, such as banking and postal services, are currently available – and which people are most keen to have access to.

“High streets are at the heart of local communities and their economies, and we need to make sure that town centres across Scotland are vibrant places that have the shops and services that locals need and want,” Patricia Ferguson, chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee, said.

“Whilst media coverage tends to pitch the high streets as universally dying, we know that this isn’t the case – some high streets are clearly thriving in certain parts of Scotland.

“We want to learn lessons from this, and speak to people across Scotland, to explore what a good high street looks like to them, and how they can be regenerated to become more resilient and attractive.”

The committee acknowledged that Scotland’s high streets have faced significant challenges in recent years, driven by online shopping, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the rising cost of living.

Figures published in July 2025 showed that, on average, one out of eight shops on Scotland’s high streets were empty in 2023/24.

The cross-party committee will use the survey to explore how to ensure Scotland’s high streets and town centres can have a positive future, reflecting what local communities need and want.

It will also examine how the wants and needs of people living in remote and rural parts of Scotland may differ from those in urban areas.

The survey can be found on the Scottish Affairs committee website until December 23.