At every visit we make to one of our commissioned locations, we learn something new. Often, they are new ideas, innovations, and initiatives that we can share with local teams in other places.
We publish our findings in the News Centre and categorise each article as case studies. You can find our latest case studies below, but three notable examples are:
Aberdeen is a beacon for the way it has taken up the ‘place partnership’ approach to tackling vacancy on its central Union Street, particularly with its upper floors study and follow-on initiative. The impact it is having is something that we think other places with unused and underutilised upper floors (as an issue) could draw on for sure.
Crewe is an example of a place that has focused on arts & crafts, creative, culture and community uses in its initial work to tackle town centre vacancy. This is not to say that retail, hospitality, and services have not been part of the story too; they all have and will continue to be. What we call the ‘alternative’ or additional use types, however, are what we focused on to make a start on that road to reduce the number of empty units and build the momentum required to move others forward.
Tredegar is also tackling vacancy with a slightly different focus, working on ‘look’ initiatives including public realm, street furniture painting and other refresh work, plus creating stunning pieces of wall art. Their aim here is to improve the town centre environment to help attract customers and visitors, and to create a great first impression for new would-be business occupiers and investors.
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Upper Floors Study on stage…
“The team brings together council specialists in planning and building standards with architects, developers and commercial letting agents to find new and innovative uses for un- or under-used premises above the ground floor level of the Granite Mile.” …and so … Continue reading →
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Tackling town and city centre vacancy. A blog…
I’d really like to thank Prof Leigh Sparks for sharing his Stirlingretail platform for this piece on tackling vacancy…! “A few years ago a Council leader, not too far from here, asked me what single thing could he do to … Continue reading →
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The tackling vacancy Tipping Point…
It’s an idea we share to encourage town and city centre teams we’re working with on reducing their number of empty #highstreet units and improve the mix of uses. To us it means there’s a stage you’ll reach with new … Continue reading →
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A team approach to getting upper floors back in use…
Just the very best of days… Now when I explain that I spent it up and down the stairs, in and out of rooms and across roof spaces of vacant, sometimes long-empty units, you’re maybe going to gently hint that … Continue reading →
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Let’s stop wasting those upper floors spaces…
“Un- and under-used upper floors on the #highstreet is a significant issue for town and city centres around the country, so understanding the barriers to re-purposing and re-using these spaces and the role that each stakeholder can play will be … Continue reading →
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Four new town centre openings in recent weeks…
Cake. Always a welcome addition to the offer in a town or city centre we’re supporting with tackling #highstreet vacancy, and especially when it’s by one of a number of new independent businesses to open up there. It’s been an … Continue reading →
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Meeting the gizmobots…
Inspiring and encouraging day in Crewe town centre… It’s one of the locations – Tredegar is another – where our tackling #highstreet vacancy focus, for now at least, is on that ‘alternative’ or maybe better described as additional use types … Continue reading →
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Encouraging early signs…?
An insightful and encouraging 3-day out & about in Tredegar for our tackling #highstreet vacancy project. Meeting the owner of one newly opened business with three more readying to open in the town centre and hopefully another two in the … Continue reading →
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A special town…
So very excited to be headed back to the special town that is Tredegar this week. In the diary are plans to… See the latest in the ongoing refurb of an important, heritage public space at the heart of town; … Continue reading →
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Tredegar…
It’s one of the (many) reasons I love my job…! Just the variety of elements that went to make up the latest two-day visit for our tackling #highstreet vacancy work in the special town that is Tredegar. Continue reading →








