Let’s write a list of new shops we’d love to see in our town or city centres.
Just one rule. It’s got to be something that you personally would make the journey in to use, and do so often enough that (with others doing the same) the owner can run it viably, long term.
Go…!
I ask for two practical reasons.
First because this is a challenge we set for local teams working on tackling #highstreet vacancy with #TheVacantShopsAcademy. Talk to residents and existing businesses about what’s missing and what they’d like to see (and use), then go out and try recruit those types to help fill empty units.
It’s also though, important for places that don’t have lots of empty units but are concerned about the way uses they do have has changed in recent years, and are keen to try maximise the benefit of what the remaining few are let to and add to their current mix
I get that #retail is only part of the story and that a range of other options – arts & crafts, creative, culture, community, history & heritage, leisure, education, health and health & wellbeing – as well as #hospitality and services, may be on target lists to.
So… over to you. What’s the one new shop you’d bring to your place if you could and why…?
