Portas rubbishes Grimsey attack on high street report Mr Grimsey said in The Sunday Telegraph: "It simply isn't good enough to just wring our hands and reminisce about the good old days on the high street." Ms Portas suggested Mr Grimsey should join the efforts already under way rather than attack them. I don't want this to turn into a game of attack and return. But we just don't need another report," she said. We've got some really big players in the [Portas] Forum - why doesn't he roll his sleeves up and come and join us? She argued that her aim has always been not to restore the old high street, but create a new one. The high street is changing and needs to change. But it ain't dead," she said. If we lose the high street, it's not just a loss to retail but we lose an important piece of community infrastructure, too. I believe the high street is important for society and communities, and I want to fight for it and to help the Government and local governments save it. Ms Portas defended her review, which has helped establish 27 "Portas Pilots" or areas that have received grants to enable shopkeepers, councils and other businesses to try out new ideas for regeneration. I don't want people to think there's nothing we can do to save the high street. The Portas Pilots are about empowering local governments and businesses to make changes. The report has kick-started the debate and I'm proud of it. Responding to Mr Grimsey's view that half of British retail chains could fail, Ms Portas said: "We know that already. He's right about the chains being in trouble. But who said the future needs to be about chains? What's important is that we work with the Government to ensure strong businesses come through, new players and independent retailers - who said it had to be about chains? She added: "I'm passionate about the high street, I saw this crisis coming and I offered to help - for free. I've done what I think is right. I don't have every answer, but I started it and it's a pretty good start. We've got some great ideas, some big brains, not just in retail but in other areas like the National Trust and the Arts Council. What we need is for the Chancellor to act on rates, now. And we need all the Government departments joining up to work on this too. MPs on the Communities Committee have gathered questions from the public about Ms Portas" review. They want to know more about Portas Pilots and the Town Team Partners. More than 400 towns applied to be a Portas Pilot and receive funding to transform their high streets. Those rejected as Pilots have become Partners and will receive funding for regeneration projects.