It’s always interesting to return to a town you’ve not been in for a while…
…especially one that added a new #highstreet or uncovered, single street shopping centre, to its existing one.
And so, just for a walk-see, to Didcot – a town that’s seen a significant population increase with major housing development driven by its location and central rail lines positioning.
A few years back the ‘shopping centre’ added a major extension which has attracted a number of brands you often now see on out-of-town #retail parks.
Tho you can’t always tell for sure on a walk-see, both early and later sections of what’s called Orchard Centre look to be largely let.
What’s also encouraging is that the ‘original’ high street, Broadway, is too, just with a different mix: one or two national brands, some independents, food & drink uses and services.
Linking the two – and illustrating again the positive role arts & crafts, creative, culture can play – are an arts centre, theatre, gallery venue and a cinema.
It’d be great to hear from #property and #placemaking colleagues who’ve seen a sizeable modern addition alongside their traditional town centre main street…
