Town Centres  The economic and social heart of our communitiesThe Government recognises that the quality of the local environment affects and reflects the well-being of the people living there. Whether it's the town centre, local park or street on which we live, we all want to feel that these are attractive and safe places to be. This part of our website is all about town centres. In most cases, they are the economic and social heart of a community. Here, normally, are the shopping centres and the pubs, clubs and restaurants which attract both locals and visitors. And, these days, they often home to a new generation of city-centre residents and workers. With this new energy, has come growth in the evening and night-time economies. But, at the same time, has come the difficulties caused by alcohol-related crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour. Apart from the social and physical damage they cause, many of us are also seeing evidence of social exclusion - particularly at weekends and amongst older people and women. This puts additional pressures on those who provide public services - especially the police and the accident and emergency services. Although we have made significant progress in improving our town centres, we have to sustain the momentum. Here, we offer some practical suggestions on how this might be done. The three key points for success are:
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