The ‘who…?’ of former department stores…

Are you involved as a whole place in getting large former department stores back into use…?

⏳ How many of your town and city centres still have them vacant after 2, 3 or more years…?

Asking as it’s at the heart of the issue in a number of recent locations to sign up to #TheVacantShopsAcademy tackling #highstreet vacancy approach, and we’ve been looking carefully at options.

• Some will re-let to #retail;

🏢 Others repurposed to alternative uses including education or leisure;

• There’ll be those that are split up either to create a set of smaller ground floor units or separate off the uppers;

🪜 We’re seeing examples of ‘meanwhile… use’ like Sparks Bristol;

• And frustratingly there are those just sitting there, deteriorating, and bad for pride in place, inward investment and existing trade.

🤔 What I’m really keen to understand is WHO is involved. Is it just an agents-landlords thing where you are…?

Are the local council(s) or BID where there is one, existing businesses, your community, cultural groups and organisations taking an active part in the conversation…?

🗝️ I’m wondering if in the cases they are the re-let / re-purposing moves quicker or produces results that are more welcome for the place.

Would love to hear examples and experiences from #property and #placemaking colleagues. Do chip in…!