A group of town halls have urged the government to tax major out-of-town supermarkets to help fund upgrades to local shopping areas.
Twenty councils want a so-called "Tesco tax" to raise up to £400 million a year.
An extra tax on big supermarkets would hit the poorest families hardest, the Government has said.
The Department for Communities and Local Government has rejected calls from 20 local authorities for a new levy on supermarkets to help revitalise local shopping areas.
"Imposing new, additional taxes on supermarkets will push up the price of food and the cost of living, hitting low-income families the hardest," a DCLG spokesman said.
He said there were "much better ways to support small shops".
A mixed week ahead weather wise with milder conditions for many towards the weekend
A damp start to the working week with brighter weather for most later in the day
Having a longer pregnancy also reduced the risk of suffering from post-natal depression, a study found.