Burnham to crack down on vape and betting shopsBurnham said vape shops have "hollowed out" the high street (Jacob King/PA Wire)Andy Burnham is set to unveil a crackdown on vape and betting shops in a bid to boost British high streets, which the Prime Minister says have been “hollowed out” in recent decades. The government will also tighten the definition of vape shops, to prevent businesses from describing themselves as retailers or convenience stores. The new rules will also allow councils to stop vape shops from opening near schools. “The rise of vape shops, betting shops and rogue operators have replaced the shops, services, and community spaces that people are crying out for. But the New West End Company called on Burnham to reform the business rates system, which Meier said “created the conditions” for vape and betting shops’ hold on the high street.