This is why I’m so optimistic about the future for our town and city centres.
The new openings in our image set, different types in varying towns, but sharing a story of investment, hard work and imagination to get the unit ready, collaboration with and support from local tradesfolk and neighbour businesses, and excitement about welcoming customers and being part of their #highstreet community.
For all of the gazillion words written about the budget, the policies and projections, it’s these stories that fire the belief I have in our places and the people that make them.
And these are just 4 examples from one week in places that we’re supporting on tackling vacancy. Three of them are in units that were empty when we did our first ‘audit’ there, one of them had been like that for a very long time.
There are others you’ll know of from your town and city centres. Nationally the new openings roll seems busier than ever, and requirements lists from agents and property directors for brands looking to increase store or venue numbers keep on coming (we’re regularly sharing those with local tackling vacancy teams and with Laura Harris for HighStreetPositives).
I get that it’s challenging still, that there’s a huge amount to do and that policy and regulation changes would help.
But there are positives. Lots of them.
It’d be great to hear examples from your #property portfolio and places…
