Skip to main content

TRANSFORMING OUR HIGH STREETS - BRINGING POWER TO THE PEOPLE

There has been much debate over the future of the high street in North Wales in recent times, including within this column.

With the development of out of town centres and the growth of internet shopping, local stores have never been under so much pressure to improve the consumer experience so to attract greater numbers of local shoppers.

Indeed, there needs to be greater effort on developing an enjoyable experience for shoppers to entice them away from supermarkets and internet sites to their local high streets.

Therefore, the publication of a new report from the Policy Exchange should be one that will be discussed by politicians and policymakers across the region.

Published last month, “21st Century Retail Policy: Quality, choice, experience and convenience”, is a fascinating and thought provoking analysis that goes beyond the normal conventions regarding retail developments and looks to provide radical solutions which could transform and revitalise shopping areas.

Perhaps one of the most contentious is a proposal that local authorities, where local retailers are in favour, should lose power over the management of high streets and that the management of these areas should be shifted to Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) with additional powers.

This would include having responsibility for cleaning, car parking and side road pedestrianisation.

More relevantly, such BIDs would have direct control over most planning both for new development and change of use. However, the council would retain power for major reconstruction and rebuilding, although these would have to be formally approved by the BID.

The BIDs could also place restrictions on the type of businesses within the area (e.g. charity shops or takeaways) and have the power, where there continue to be empty shops, to sanction a change of use into office or homes.

I am sure that the introduction of such bodies would be controversial in the first place but they could, if managed properly, transform the fortunes of high streets across North Wales.

A recent survey for YouGov showed that the three top concerns of shoppers are  the right mix of shops, car access and parking, and lavatory facilities. They also do not care whether a location is in or out of town.

Therefore, as the report demonstrates, you can imagine a BID looking carefully at how the whole consumer experience could be enhanced and responding accordingly, rather than merely keeping to normal planning regulations.

For example, pedestrianising a side street off the main shopping area could make this attractive for a couple of restaurants to move into, whilst a small number of offices created in a specific section of the high street could result in higher footfall for the businesses because of their central location.

The number of charity shops and takeaways could be limited to one per street whilst a couple of the empty shops would be permitted to be transformed into homes to ensure people live within those areas. The BID could also employ a part time caretaker who would ensure the streets are kept clean and deals immediately with any anti-social behaviour that may arise.

Creating such an environment would then bring more businesses into the area, especially those that would capitalise on increased footfall, such as coffee shops. This would create a continuous cycle of renewal and regeneration that would enhance the whole area.

Of course, where there are already well run high streets managed efficiently by local councils, then they should be left alone to develop as they are. However, the people who know best about developing their local areas are those who actually run the shops there.

It would be a massive step forward to be able to give them direct control over their own destinies and, more importantly, help them to revitalise those high streets which can be the heart of the shopping experience within our communities once again.

Popular posts from this blog

THE CRACHACH

Unlike me, do you consider yourself part of 'the establishment' here in Wales?  As thousands gather for the Eisteddfod in Mold this morning, they will, according to some social commentators, not be participating in the greatest cultural festivals of Europe. Instead, they will merely be bit-part players in one of the annual gatherings of the great and good of Wales.  Unkindly, this set of the movers and shakers in Welsh society is known as 'the crachach' , and constitute a social class all of their own, dominating the educational, cultural and media sectors of Wales and allegedly looking down upon any outsider with new ideas, reinforcing mediocrity and failing to see beyond the limits of their own narrow experience.  They are said to live in a comfort zone that awaits the expected invitation to the next glass of chilled chardonnay and canapés, forgetting that due to their lack of leadership and drive, Wales remains firmly rooted to the bottom of the UK prosperity league ...

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CREATIVE CLASSES

One of my favourite academic books of the last two decades must be the “Rise of the Creative Classes” by Professor Richard Florida.  This was one of the first detailed studies of the growing group of individuals who use their creativity and mental labour to earn a living and not only included those in arts and entertainment, but also people working in science and technology as well as knowledge-based professions such as healthcare, law, business, and finance.  Fast forward to 2022 and Professor Florida has written an updated report on the creative classes although he and his team now identify a different type of individual who is taking full advantage of the growth in digital platforms, social media, and online marketplaces.  Such ‘creators’ are defined as those who use digital technology to make and publish unique creative content, whether in the form of video, film, art, music, design, text, games, or any other media that audiences can access and respond to.  They ...

THE IMPORTANCE OF FRANCHISING

When we talk about start-ups and entrepreneurship, rarely do we discuss the potential of franchising not only as a way of establishing new ventures in the economy but also as a method of growing existing businesses. According to the British Franchising Association, franchising is the granting of a licence by one person (the franchisor) to another (the franchisee), which entitles the franchisee to own and operate their own business under the brand, systems and proven business model of the franchisor. The franchisee also receives initial training and ongoing support, comprising all the elements necessary to establish a previously untrained person in the business. This enables individuals to start their own businesses without having to develop their own ideas and utilising an existing brand and established market. Of course, whilst each franchise business is owned and operated by the franchisee, the franchisor controls the quality and standards of the way in which the business is...