“I’m delighted big businesses are taking social responsibility and becoming pillars of the community, giving invaluable support and advice as well as demonstrating good citizenship.”

That is the answer high-street tsar Mary Portas gave The Grocer last week, when she was asked whether Tesco should be involved in the government’s programme to rescue the high street – and also specifically about the contribution of its former boss, Sir Terry Leahy, to the debate.

Not to suggest that with a TV show to promote she might give a different answer, but it was interesting to see the same Queen of Shops quoted in this week’s edition of the Radio Times, accusing Sir Terry of talking “absolute crap” and blaming Tesco’s out-of-town store developments for destroying the high street.

To be fair it’s much more in character for Portas to come off the fence but it only serves to illustrate the job local government minister Mark Prisk has on his hands in keeping the loose coalition of forces called upon to rescue the ailing high street from trading blows – let alone agreeing on a way forward.

Portas, or at least one of her minions, sits on the Future High Streets Forum, set up by Prisk to inject a little urgency into the process of high-street renewal.

So too does Neil McCourt, managing director of Tesco Metro. His boss, Leahy’s replacement Phil Clarke, recently claimed the retailer was an instrumental part in breathing life into the high street.

Prisk has said he hopes the much-maligned Portas Pilots, some of which are about to feature in her upcoming Channel 4 documentary, Mary Queen of the High Street, will get a fresh dose of ideas from his new group of all the talents.

One can only imagine what Tesco’s message to Mary will be when the next meeting is held in a few weeks’ time.

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