The much anticipated report from Mary Portas into the future of our High Streets is published. Ross Martin commenting in tomorrow's Scotsman

We have all witnessed first-hand the sad demise of town centres across the UK and the lack of imaginative policy responses. In many ways, demise and town centres have become inextricably linked terms, at least in the minds of many journalists.

The Coalition Government asked retail guru Mary Portas to examine the future of our high streets, which was published today. The report comes on the back of Government research that shows 1/3 of high streets are "degenerating or failing". Portas said:

“I don’t want to live in a Britain that doesn’t care about community. And I believe that our high streets are a really important part of pulling people together in a way that a supermarket or shopping mall, however convenient, however entertaining and however slick, just never can.

“I fundamentally believe that once we invest in and create social capital in the heart of our communities, the economic capital will follow."

The recommendations aim to:

• Get town centres running like businesses.
• Get the basics right to allow businesses to flourish.
• Level the playing field.
• Define landlords’ roles and responsibilities.
• Give communities a greater say.

Andy Willox OBE, FSB Scottish policy convenor, said:

“While many of the Portas Review’s recommendations are focussed on English towns, there’s no doubt that this comprehensive report will add fuel to the high street debate north of the border.

“If we want to turn around our high streets and town centres, we need to get more economically active people into them conducting a wider range of activities...action by government at all levels in Scotland [is required]".

Read the report