Author Archives: Iain Nicholson

Struggling. Ailing. One in the headline. The other in the intro. Both words used to describe the #highstreet by a national media report this week. Meanwhile, in a parallel universe, I was writing notes on 4 #TheVacantShopsAcademy locations: + Place … Continue reading →

The national ‘shop’ vacancy rate is said to be 14%. And has been stuck around that number for some time. Can we get it into single figures…? Single figures. Does that seem wildly optimistic…? I ask the question as #placemaking … Continue reading →

We’ve focused a lot in recent weeks on what feels like the huge potential of arts & crafts, creative, culture, community, history & heritage, leisure, education, health and health & wellbeing as go-to options for places tackling #highstreet vacancy. They … Continue reading →

So we’ve written a ‘how to’ guide to tackling #highstreet vacancy… …or at least an introduction to our ‘audit, engage, encourage, promote’ approach as we’ve run it or are underway in 33 #TheVacantShopsAcademy locations. Hopefully it’ll be helpful to town … Continue reading →

I know a number of #highstreet placemaking colleagues are working with an arcade as part of their town or city centre project… …maybe influenced by its attractiveness as a destination, its #heritage status, the size of its units making it … Continue reading →

Wander your #highstreet in the late afternoon or early evening and look up. How many lights do you see on the upper floors…? Lots, hardly any…? Do the same a bit later just to check. Same result…? It’s not very … Continue reading →

It’d be great to get some ideas from #highstreet #property agent and legal colleagues on the subject of ‘assignments’. With apologies to anyone who’s thinking the inner tackling vacancy geek in me has escaped (again…?). Assignment becomes a thing (in … Continue reading →

Tackling #highstreet vacancy. It’s not just “an agent-landlords thing”. Seriously it’s not. And having spent much of the week talking to #property colleagues in 8 of the locations we’re working, you can easily see that.  If the vacancy rate in … Continue reading →

Morale and confidence and positivity are vitally important for the #highstreet. They impact resident enthusiasm for going into their town or city centres, decisions by existing businesses when their lease renewal comes up and of would-be new occupiers and their … Continue reading →