Brilliant two days with one of the local teams we’re working alongside on tackling vacancy…
…with a number of positive and encouraging signs of things happening that are helping bring down their empty shops numbers already and will make bigger reductions possible in the months ahead.
I’d be really interested to hear from you on new independent or brand #retail, #hospitality or services openings in your town or city centre in what’s typically a busy pre-Christmas period for finalising lettings…
…but also progress you’re seeing on those ‘alternative’ use types in art & crafts, creative, culture, community, history & heritage, leisure, education, health and health & wellbeing taking on #highstreet space.
And so to Llanelli and Carmarthen. Two town centres with much happening and a local team working hard on a number of developments and initiatives.
It was great to see and get updates on some of what’s changing here including…
+ A range of rebuild, repurposing projects to get some of the properties into more useable layout and / or condition;
+ A variety of independents newly opening or readying to;
+ A pop up shop scheme across their towns supporting entrepreneurs into units with conversations underway with landlords to take on more.
As we always emphasise, as well as getting a tackling vacancy-focused ‘place partnership’ in play to focus on target empty units, half of our ‘next steps’ suggestions for the locations we’re commissioned are about wider placemaking elements including street scene, wall and #streetart, events, travel & access, promotion & more, so it was good to be able to talk through the part some of those are playing in the towns now and could build on going forward.
Do let us know what HighStreetPositives are making a difference to your places right now…
