Collective effort needed to reinvigorate High Streets says Portas
Mary Portas, otherwise known as the Queen of Shops today warned in her Government published report that urgent action was needed to breathe much needed life into our High Streets. Her report, compiled over a 7 month period involving trips to High Streets around the country and numerous conversations with town traders, concluded with 28 recommendations put forward to the government.
Among these recommendations was the proposal to establish a ‘town team’ dedicated to putting a more concerted, considered approach into planning and promoting the High Street as a vibrant, dynamic destination. Portas also puts forward the idea of a National Market Day, providing a platform for entrepreneurs and startup businesses to sell to the public. She was keen to emphasise the origins of such giants as Marks & Spencer and Tesco; had them and many others not been given the opportunity to sell to the public, they wouldn’t be the major retail chains they are today.
All 28 recommendations though it should be noted, are underpinned by the people involved. Portas literally highlights in her report the need to ‘invest in and create social capital’ in order to pave the way for economic capital. In short, harness the passion of those with a vested interest in the town centre and get them to share ideas, collaborate and give them the power to make a pronounced difference to the appearance of their High Street.
As High Streets have endured a serious decline in occupancy rates, there has been a steady rise in the number of out-of-town shopping centres – something Wrexham is no stranger to. Portas acknowledges the strategic effort involved in making these centres a success, they market the advantage of convenience, free parking in many cases, an excellent retail mix, food outlets plus many more aspects. And all this has happened whilst the High Street has remained stoic, fragmented, and struggling to find its place in an ever-changing retail world.
It’s clear for Portas then that far more sophisticated planning needs to go into making our High Streets the success they deserve to be, planning which should be on the same level if not better than the external shopping centres. Wrexham would certainly benefit from more planning and variety, something referred to in the report as a ‘rich mix of activities’ or put slightly differently, a realignment of our perception of the High Street and accepting the fact it won’t be exclusively retail (though Wrexham tends to be more of a split between retail and bars/pubs).
Success for the High Street, be it Wrexham or anywhere else, won’t come from being all things to all people though. It will come from listening to what customers want – and customers do want to buy local, customers do like a personal approach, the High Street just needs to offer this and more not to mention offer it better than anyone else.
You can access Mary Portas’ report via the link below:-
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