I’m going to add #history and #heritage to the list…
…the one that goes: arts & crafts, creative, culture, community, leisure, education, health and health & wellbeing.
🎬 It’s the list of business and organisation use types that we suggest #TheVacantShopsAcademy tackling #highstreet vacancy locations explore as potential options to take on empty units, as an addition to #retail, #hospitality and services.
Why…?
🏭 Well we’re used to seeing the past of our places reflected in events, through #streetart & sculptures, on blue plaques, interpretation boards and the like.
But could they go an extra step, and take on a vacant unit…? Maybe as a mini-museum if the current one has more to display than it has space for or it’s away from the town centre. Perhaps the unit could host exhibitions of artefacts or displays of images – collections of shops how they used to look are certain to be popular. Or other examples I’ve yet to see but #placemaking colleagues are working on.
I was reminded of the thought during an inspirational visit to The Crewe Heritage Centre – which is itself a short walk from the town centre, so emphasising the idea that a connected presence there would benefit both…
…and on a prior train trip to the attractive neighbour town of Nantwich (of which more in an upcoming post).
🤳🏽 It’d be great to hear your examples of history and heritage playing a proactive part in town and city centres #Evolving…
