Author Archives: Iain Nicholson

A nearby coastline could be a big asset for tackling #highstreet vacancy and improving the mix of uses in your town or city centre. But how…? It seems like connectivity, competition and confidence might be key to this. Does the … Continue reading →

Artists, crafters, creative and culture groups could for sure play a bigger part in our town and city centres. We know from our work with #TheVacantShopsAcademy that many would love to if we can overcome the barriers. So it’s exciting … Continue reading →

Where do we get the next generation of #highstreet shopkeepers from. The question was prompted by looking through the list of suggestions on our previous post which asked for “a list of new shops you’d love to see in our … Continue reading →

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 … Continue reading →

Would anyone mind if I think optimistically of the prospects for the #highstreet in 2025. I know many of you will have – as I did – spent time over Christmas and New Year wading through the tide of gloomster … Continue reading →

Really liked that our first briefing note of the new year was setting out for a local school suggestions of the very many ways they can play a significant and impactful part in a tackling #highstreet vacancy project for their … Continue reading →

Wandering our nearest town centre and wondering: if it ran a survey of residents and businesses to ask what they’d like to see take on its empty #highstreet unit opportunities, what answers we’d get. What would be the response if … Continue reading →

We talk a lot on here about empty units, and what might take those spaces, about town and city centres, policy and projects, awesome heritage buildings, #streetart and installations… …and maybe not enough about the most important part of all … Continue reading →

Kind of neat to find myself in this city as we approach another tackling #highstreet vacancy milestone… It was 24/12 three years ago next week that I shut the lap top on my Oxford City Centre Manager role and started … Continue reading →

“It does need more shops, so that there’s more to choose from.” This from one of the people interviewed by a TV crew as part of a piece about the #highstreet… …and it struck me how often you hear that … Continue reading →