High streets are under going dramatic changes and will continue to evolve in the next decade. Shopping as we know it is changing too and becoming 'experience' driven. We have witnessed this in the last decade with the rise of pop up shops, and more places where you visit to try out new activities that are not always purchase driven - building brand loyalty.
News that high streets are dying with shops lying empty and imminent collapse of major retailers would suggest that local authorities are unaware of what is happening in their towns. The reality is that many councils up and down country are already creatively leading on the revitalisation of their town centres, working closely with stakeholders.
As we move into an uncertain new year for the retail industry, Local Authorites have a vital part to play in supporting our town centres and stakeholders, redefining the customer experience for the local community and visitors - supporting retail with local leadership to tackle the current challenges being experienced by town centres up and down the country.
d have been commissioned by local authorities throughout 2018 and delivered a number of projects and evaluations to support the evolution of town centres, providing direction and advice to enable the development of a more strategic approach towards identifying new development opportunities and innovative ways of enhancing town centres, including delivering initiatives to improve the townscape, retail and leisure offer in the medium term.
There is so much to consider when embarking on property investment to have a positive impact, considering the overall Place Branding Strategy and how much of the town's property should remain pure retail or be converted to office space to support the retailers.
