Walking around where I live in Penryn, it's sometimes hard to tell which shops are closed for COVID related reasons, and which have shut down entirely.

When a shop starts to be emptied out of all furniture and fittings, you know it's sadly the latter.

The continuing plight of Falmouth's former M&S building - now empty for over 2 years - is a reminder that there is little incentive for commercial owners to fill their properties as quickly as possible.

However, there are two options on the table providing a stark choice. On the one hand, luxury residential housing and prime - expensive - retail. The other, a space for different local companies and pop-ups, showcasing local chefs and artists - as well as community events in partnership with Falmouth Harbour. Which would you prefer?

We all know that our high streets are changing. The simplicity and ease of ordering online have forever changed the way we use our shops. However, there's no doubt that we humans - as sociable creatures - enjoy browsing, dropping in for a coffee, being able to see and feel the produce we are about to buy. Our high streets are at the heart of local communities.

And post-pandemic, there's simply no reason we should lose them. That's why it's so important to do something about shops and businesses that are simply allowed to remain empty.

A new initiative from Labour is a new "empty shops order" - giving councils powers to ensure empty premises are taken back into use for independent shops, small businesses or other enterprises - such as pop-ups. I'm passionate about pop-ups as they quite literally changed my life.

Back in 2014, when me and my husband started our business Any Old Lights vintage lighting, we were only online. Although keen to open a shop we had no idea if it would work - and we simply could not afford high street rents.

However, after a deal struck in the pub one winter with a friend who owned a cafe, we used their premises as a pop-up shop while it was closed from October - March. This meant we could test the water for whether our fledgeling businesses would work in a physical location.

It did. And we now have a permanent shop with three staff.

And yet - opposite our pop up shop stood a former bank in a prominent spot owned by a private landlord. Left empty - and occasionally vandalised - for a shocking eight years. A long-standing eyesore which the local town council could do absolutely about.

Growing up in a Cornish seaside town, it's a sad reminder to walk around and spot the private residences - mostly now second homes - which used to be restaurants, shops and hotels.

It's a real worry that Boris Johnson's plans to allow restaurants, banks and shops to be fast-tracked for residential use without a normal planning application would be a disaster for our high streets.

What we need now is the opposite. Support new businesses to open up on our high streets and help rebuild our economy post-pandemic.

Give small businesses, the backbone of Cornwall's economy and growing, the chance to try out their idea in pop up shop. Retail space which is only open to the big boys - mainly chains - will do little to help our local economies, when the profits flow straight out of Cornwall.

Since we launched in 2014, we are now local employers, tax and VAT payers. We've put thousands back into government coffers as well as other businesses in the town. Isn't this exactly what the government and our local economies need right now?

Click here to see more from Sinead Hanks.

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