Nick Plumb
@nickplumb.bsky.social
Director of Policy and Insight at @powertochange.org.uk
Interests include: UK politics, trust, communities, localism, democratic reform, and inequality.
Interests include: UK politics, trust, communities, localism, democratic reform, and inequality.
Pinned
Nick Plumb
@nickplumb.bsky.social
· Jun 2
🧵1/8
New research from @powertochange.org.uk revisits the 100 places in England with the sharpest rise in long-term high street vacancies between 2015 and 2023.
Inspired by work from @trfetzer.com, @jacobedenhofer.bsky.social and @prashantgarg.bsky.social
New research from @powertochange.org.uk revisits the 100 places in England with the sharpest rise in long-term high street vacancies between 2015 and 2023.
Inspired by work from @trfetzer.com, @jacobedenhofer.bsky.social and @prashantgarg.bsky.social
Reposted by Nick Plumb
💡As our ten-year celebrations draw to a close, we’ve been reflecting on what the next decade of community business should learn from the last and what that means as we head into a new year.
December 17, 2025 at 10:33 AM
💡As our ten-year celebrations draw to a close, we’ve been reflecting on what the next decade of community business should learn from the last and what that means as we head into a new year.
Great piece. Chimes with @powertochange.org.uk vision for community powered high streets, which means taking on derelict property owners, and moving away from the retail-dominated model.
We need more mixed-use high streets instead (with public services part of the mix).
We need more mixed-use high streets instead (with public services part of the mix).
Every pollster and focus group will tell you that high street decline and broken down buildings are a key part of our political malaise. I'd love to see government pick a fight with derelict property owners.
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/how-do-you...
How do you solve a problem like the high street?
Time for a Troubled Buildings Programme
howtorunacountry.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Great piece. Chimes with @powertochange.org.uk vision for community powered high streets, which means taking on derelict property owners, and moving away from the retail-dominated model.
We need more mixed-use high streets instead (with public services part of the mix).
We need more mixed-use high streets instead (with public services part of the mix).
Looking forward to digging into this, but for now appreciating how Ben has done the hard yards in mimicking the Silent Alarm album cover.
Short new post from me about Bloc Politics. A lot of commentators have argued, with evidence from @profjanegreen.bsky.social, @robfordmancs.bsky.social and others, that British politics has split into blocs. So what does that mean for electoral strategy? 1/n
benansell.substack.com/p/bloc-parties
benansell.substack.com/p/bloc-parties
Bloc Parties
In a world of bloc politics, what's a good offensive strategy?
benansell.substack.com
December 15, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Looking forward to digging into this, but for now appreciating how Ben has done the hard yards in mimicking the Silent Alarm album cover.
Reposted by Nick Plumb
@jesscraig.bsky.social explores for @labourlist.bsky.social how Community Investment Zones could transform the future of our high streets—bring life back to local economies, support small businesses & create vibrant, community-led spaces: bit.ly/48EGocX
'Britain’s high streets need Community Investment Zones' - LabourList
Community Investment Zones would give communities the tools to realise the next era of our high streets and town centres.
bit.ly
December 8, 2025 at 1:56 PM
@jesscraig.bsky.social explores for @labourlist.bsky.social how Community Investment Zones could transform the future of our high streets—bring life back to local economies, support small businesses & create vibrant, community-led spaces: bit.ly/48EGocX
Reposted by Nick Plumb
Pride in Place prospectus has just been published. Govt should be applauded for this. They said they wanted it to be community centred. And this - the requirement all places transition to a community-led model by year 3 - is them turning words into action.
December 3, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Pride in Place prospectus has just been published. Govt should be applauded for this. They said they wanted it to be community centred. And this - the requirement all places transition to a community-led model by year 3 - is them turning words into action.
Pride in Place prospectus has just been published. Govt should be applauded for this. They said they wanted it to be community centred. And this - the requirement all places transition to a community-led model by year 3 - is them turning words into action.
December 3, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Pride in Place prospectus has just been published. Govt should be applauded for this. They said they wanted it to be community centred. And this - the requirement all places transition to a community-led model by year 3 - is them turning words into action.
Reposted by Nick Plumb
It's Community Business Week. Pubs are vital to communities and social cohesion, places where we can come together across divides in a warm and welcoming space.
We're proud to be a community-owned pub. If you haven't discovered us yet, do drop by. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
We're proud to be a community-owned pub. If you haven't discovered us yet, do drop by. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Can you have a community without craic? Scholars of Ireland’s pubs warn of declining numbers
Two new books analyse what makes the ‘perfect pub’ and both come to a sobering conclusion: Irish pubs are in trouble
www.theguardian.com
December 1, 2025 at 5:57 PM
It's Community Business Week. Pubs are vital to communities and social cohesion, places where we can come together across divides in a warm and welcoming space.
We're proud to be a community-owned pub. If you haven't discovered us yet, do drop by. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
We're proud to be a community-owned pub. If you haven't discovered us yet, do drop by. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Reposted by Nick Plumb
Could 2026 be the year of public interest technology? We've been doing some thinking at Kinship Works with @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social and co at Careful Industries - what it would take for 2026 to see public interest/civic tech to reach its full potential? Some ideas:
medium.com/@jamestplunk...
medium.com/@jamestplunk...
Could 2026 be the year of public interest technology?
Yes — if funders step up
medium.com
December 1, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Could 2026 be the year of public interest technology? We've been doing some thinking at Kinship Works with @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social and co at Careful Industries - what it would take for 2026 to see public interest/civic tech to reach its full potential? Some ideas:
medium.com/@jamestplunk...
medium.com/@jamestplunk...
Great to spend the day in the South Shields with @kimmcguinness.bsky.social and members of the NECA High Streets Commission. Great expertise on the Commission, and a real appetite for high street renewal to be brave, bold and community-led.
www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-e...
www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-e...
High streets taskforce launches with promise of 'radical' change for faded towns
A new commission tasked with reviving struggling North East high streets has launched with a pledge that it is "not about putting a lick of paint on something"
www.chroniclelive.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Great to spend the day in the South Shields with @kimmcguinness.bsky.social and members of the NECA High Streets Commission. Great expertise on the Commission, and a real appetite for high street renewal to be brave, bold and community-led.
www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-e...
www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-e...
Reposted by Nick Plumb
@nickplumb.bsky.social "Progress on the manifesto commitment to double the size of the coops & mutuals sector is welcome but this must include all community businesses. We know they deliver grassroots growth –contributing £5.8bn to the economy –we’ll make sure they’re part of this promising agenda."
#Coops get a historic call for evidence in Rachel Reeves’ budget and a welcome from the Co-op Group on business rates reform – but there are concerns from employee-owned and community business sectors
Co-ops get a mention in Reeves’ budget – with a mixed welcome from sector
Co-op sector welcomes call for evidence in Reeves budget but there's concern from the employee-owned and community business sectors
www.thenews.coop
November 27, 2025 at 6:16 PM
@nickplumb.bsky.social "Progress on the manifesto commitment to double the size of the coops & mutuals sector is welcome but this must include all community businesses. We know they deliver grassroots growth –contributing £5.8bn to the economy –we’ll make sure they’re part of this promising agenda."
Reposted by Nick Plumb
1/5 📢 Our response to today’s Budget:
"The Chancellor is right to frame her Budget around delivering growth and improving public services, so we all feel the impact: this must include the community businesses driving change in their neighbourhoods...
"The Chancellor is right to frame her Budget around delivering growth and improving public services, so we all feel the impact: this must include the community businesses driving change in their neighbourhoods...
November 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
1/5 📢 Our response to today’s Budget:
"The Chancellor is right to frame her Budget around delivering growth and improving public services, so we all feel the impact: this must include the community businesses driving change in their neighbourhoods...
"The Chancellor is right to frame her Budget around delivering growth and improving public services, so we all feel the impact: this must include the community businesses driving change in their neighbourhoods...
November 19, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Reposted by Nick Plumb
A pleasure to be at @powertochange.org.uk’s launch of their From The Ground Up essay collection tonight, and an honour to have been asked to contribute.
www.powertochange.org.uk/event/event-...
www.powertochange.org.uk/event/event-...
November 18, 2025 at 7:00 PM
A pleasure to be at @powertochange.org.uk’s launch of their From The Ground Up essay collection tonight, and an honour to have been asked to contribute.
www.powertochange.org.uk/event/event-...
www.powertochange.org.uk/event/event-...
Reposted by Nick Plumb
🏅🧵 We're honoured that the We're Right Here campaign was awarded highly commended in Best Campaign category at the Smart Thinking Awards. @right-here.org aims to close the gap between politics and ordinary people and put the power to make local decisions in the hands of local people: buff.ly/UqSbZhF
November 18, 2025 at 10:57 AM
🏅🧵 We're honoured that the We're Right Here campaign was awarded highly commended in Best Campaign category at the Smart Thinking Awards. @right-here.org aims to close the gap between politics and ordinary people and put the power to make local decisions in the hands of local people: buff.ly/UqSbZhF
Reposted by Nick Plumb
This by @anthonypainter.bsky.social is a really useful reflection on what went wrong with globalisation, what went wrong with its critics, and where we might go from here. (And Im not just saying that because he very kindly mentions my book.) Have a read:
anthonypainter.substack.com/p/after-popu...
anthonypainter.substack.com/p/after-popu...
After populism
A more balanced liberalism can lead us away from post-liberal populist malaise - if it focuses on place, work and restoration of the public good.
anthonypainter.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 9:12 PM
This by @anthonypainter.bsky.social is a really useful reflection on what went wrong with globalisation, what went wrong with its critics, and where we might go from here. (And Im not just saying that because he very kindly mentions my book.) Have a read:
anthonypainter.substack.com/p/after-popu...
anthonypainter.substack.com/p/after-popu...
"a politics of hope and renewal that draws on the power of co-operation" - @miattafahnbulleh.bsky.social on responding to the challenge presented by the right (and the disempowerment felt in every community).
November 15, 2025 at 4:11 PM
"a politics of hope and renewal that draws on the power of co-operation" - @miattafahnbulleh.bsky.social on responding to the challenge presented by the right (and the disempowerment felt in every community).
Reposted by Nick Plumb
On Tuesday we launch 'From the ground up: Community business and Britain's next decade' - an essay collection to celebrate 10 yrs of @powertochange.org.uk and look ahead into the future of our communities. Delighted we'll be joined by this excellent panel of guests to share their 2035 vision 👇
⏰ Join our essay collection launch in Westminster to hear leading voices on a decade of community business & what’s next. Chair: @anooshc.bsky.social Panel: @jamestplunkett.bsky.social, @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social, @hetanshah.bsky.social, @patrickhurley.bsky.social & Emily Bolton.✍️👉 buff.ly/pcSxdmp
November 12, 2025 at 1:38 PM
On Tuesday we launch 'From the ground up: Community business and Britain's next decade' - an essay collection to celebrate 10 yrs of @powertochange.org.uk and look ahead into the future of our communities. Delighted we'll be joined by this excellent panel of guests to share their 2035 vision 👇
This from @benansell.bsky.social is excellent.
Labour at the Margin...
...of survival
open.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:04 PM
This from @benansell.bsky.social is excellent.
Supermarkets' monopsony power over farmers hurts rural communities, and their huge and expanding market share hurts small retailers which often represent some of the only economic activity in these places.
November 7, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Supermarkets' monopsony power over farmers hurts rural communities, and their huge and expanding market share hurts small retailers which often represent some of the only economic activity in these places.
Reposted by Nick Plumb
We'll be there!
@jamestplunkett.bsky.social is on the panel alongside @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social of Carefull Industries; @hetanshah.bsky.social of @britishacademy.bsky.social; and Emily Bolton from Our Future.
@jamestplunkett.bsky.social is on the panel alongside @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social of Carefull Industries; @hetanshah.bsky.social of @britishacademy.bsky.social; and Emily Bolton from Our Future.
Join us in Westminster for the launch of our new essay collection, marking a decade of Power to Change and the community business movement and looking ahead to the next 10 years.
In-person launch: 18 Nov, panel chaired by @anooshc.bsky.social.
Quick register: lnkd.in/l1k8w
In-person launch: 18 Nov, panel chaired by @anooshc.bsky.social.
Quick register: lnkd.in/l1k8w
November 6, 2025 at 4:26 PM
We'll be there!
@jamestplunkett.bsky.social is on the panel alongside @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social of Carefull Industries; @hetanshah.bsky.social of @britishacademy.bsky.social; and Emily Bolton from Our Future.
@jamestplunkett.bsky.social is on the panel alongside @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social of Carefull Industries; @hetanshah.bsky.social of @britishacademy.bsky.social; and Emily Bolton from Our Future.
Reposted by Nick Plumb
Looking forward to speaking at this in a couple of weeks, alongside a great panel.
Join us in Westminster for the launch of our new essay collection, marking a decade of Power to Change and the community business movement and looking ahead to the next 10 years.
In-person launch: 18 Nov, panel chaired by @anooshc.bsky.social.
Quick register: lnkd.in/l1k8w
In-person launch: 18 Nov, panel chaired by @anooshc.bsky.social.
Quick register: lnkd.in/l1k8w
November 6, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Looking forward to speaking at this in a couple of weeks, alongside a great panel.
I thought this was excellent. Brought more clarity to the "governments terrified of the bond markets" debate than anything else I've read or listened to.
I really enjoyed this long debate with Andy Haldane on the state of Britain's macrofinancial politics and who are the real bond vigilantes
www.podbean.com/media/share/...
www.podbean.com/media/share/...
On Politics: Do bond markets and the Bank of England run Britain?
Andy Burnham recently said that the government is ‘in hock to the bond markets’, and the political turbulence of the past few years, not least the downfall of Liz Truss following her ‘mini-budget’, wo...
www.podbean.com
October 29, 2025 at 7:10 PM
I thought this was excellent. Brought more clarity to the "governments terrified of the bond markets" debate than anything else I've read or listened to.
Great to have Nick writing for us, and putting recent (v positive) announcements in historical context.
And, ultimately, calling for a more expansive communitarianism with a clearer view of political economy - something I hope we @powertochange.org.uk and others can do in the months to come.
And, ultimately, calling for a more expansive communitarianism with a clearer view of political economy - something I hope we @powertochange.org.uk and others can do in the months to come.
I tried to cover a lot of ground here. A few points developing the argument, regarding current government's "Pride in Place" etc: basically I like this stuff, but worry a bit about lack of realism about what they might achieve in isolation.
📖 @npjgarland.bsky.social pens our next 10-year anniversary essay, exploring the history of past regeneration efforts to help guide today’s public policy, and offering three lessons as the government pursues its new Pride of Place agenda.
Read: http://bit.ly/4qoNpXz #PowerToChange10
Read: http://bit.ly/4qoNpXz #PowerToChange10
October 24, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Great to have Nick writing for us, and putting recent (v positive) announcements in historical context.
And, ultimately, calling for a more expansive communitarianism with a clearer view of political economy - something I hope we @powertochange.org.uk and others can do in the months to come.
And, ultimately, calling for a more expansive communitarianism with a clearer view of political economy - something I hope we @powertochange.org.uk and others can do in the months to come.
Reposted by Nick Plumb
Exclusive! Labour spends more on Boris Johnson's flagship policy in its first year than Boris Johnson did:
Exclusive: Starmer outspends Johnson on levelling up in first year
Labour invested £2bn more on Levelling Up in its first year
www.newstatesman.com
October 20, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Exclusive! Labour spends more on Boris Johnson's flagship policy in its first year than Boris Johnson did:
It's a privilege to be a small part of this.
The film really gets to the heart of why this stuff matters now more than ever.
Well worth three minutes of your time.
The film really gets to the heart of why this stuff matters now more than ever.
Well worth three minutes of your time.
Our new film argues that community power is the antidote to division and democratic decline.
Give communities the power to fix broken Britain from the ground up.
🎥 Watch and share.
Read the story behind the film: www.right-here.org/community-po...
Film by @tuz0.bsky.social
Give communities the power to fix broken Britain from the ground up.
🎥 Watch and share.
Read the story behind the film: www.right-here.org/community-po...
Film by @tuz0.bsky.social
October 22, 2025 at 8:53 AM
It's a privilege to be a small part of this.
The film really gets to the heart of why this stuff matters now more than ever.
Well worth three minutes of your time.
The film really gets to the heart of why this stuff matters now more than ever.
Well worth three minutes of your time.