It’s always super encouraging to see new retail, hospitality and services businesses opening up when we’re out and about in town and city centres on tackling highstreet vacancy commissions…
…and especially so as we’re tracking a number around those locations that have opened up already this year, so early in the 2026 lettings season.
There’s an interesting variety of business types across the set and stories and circumstances to explain the ‘why’…
Some are ventures taking on an extra unit in their own place or expanding after success in another, others are making a first highstreet start after working from home, selling online, trading on a market, taking part in trade shows or similar, maybe being part of a collective in a bigger unit spinning out on their own or with friends;
- There’s also movers. Businesses that started on the edge of town and / or in a smaller unit, swapping that for somewhere more central or bigger.
Whatever the story these are HighStreetPositives and very much help us – while recognising that it remains challenging too – to switch the narrative about where the highstreet is at.
What’s extra heartening is the very positive and supportive feedback we see as we’re following their adventures via social media, at a time when (sometimes) those platforms can be tough on our town and city centres and those working in or for them.
It’d be great to hear from property and placemaking colleagues or owners and their teams about the new openings you’re seeing or are involved in…
