Author Archives: Iain Nicholson

Busy and exciting start to August ahead…! Really looking forward to taking our ‘audit, engage, encourage, promote’ approach to tackling #highstreet vacancy into three new locations. We start this week working with the town centres team at Carmarthenshire County Council … Continue reading →

Our town and city centres need more green spaces just so we can sit and rest a while. It’d be great to hear from #placemaking colleagues on here about favourite examples where you live or work. I mean a quiet … Continue reading →

Tackling vacancy in your town or city centre might be like getting a former department store, now-empty big brand shop or ex-bank back in use… …the answer may be splitting it up. It’s an approach we’ve turned to in a … Continue reading →

How often are you in a town or city centre and see an empty unit (or more) looking terrible…? Mishmash of rough looking boarding, broken glass, windows whitewashed or part covered in flyers on the outer or peeling brown paper … Continue reading →

Encouraging update this week from one of the early adopters for the new High Street Rental Auctions power for local councils. I get that not everyone is a fan and that #property colleagues in particular have been critical (on a … Continue reading →

Here’s something I’d love to get a take on from #highstreet #property colleagues, especially those working on acquisitions and new location requirements lists. It’s a timing question. Maybe one Ellen Peters and fellow Property Managers Association members can help with, … Continue reading →

The showcase screen in its central Keel Square suggests there’s plenty of words to choose from for Sunderland. I’m going with “change” because sooooo much has since my visit 18 months back, with much more in the pipeline. It’s exciting … Continue reading →

Two #highstreet tackling vacancy-related policy changes emerge in a week. Both described by specialists in that area of our work as “unexpected”. One, around “community right to buy assets of community value”… …the other a possible ban on upward-only rent … Continue reading →

So half way through the 2025 lettings season, how is your town or city centre faring. Do you have national #retail or #hospitality brands taking on empty units. Are there new independents setting up. Or are you seeing use types … Continue reading →

A day that started getting an update on a very technical new tackling #highstreet vacancy power ended in a room brimming with Positives ideas… …and both are crucial to giving us the varied and vibrant town and city centres we … Continue reading →