Category Archives: News Centre

Do love to see #streetart, wall art, sculptures, shutter art and – what do we call this new format – utility box art…? on out & about trips to town and city centres. 🛍️ A memorable part of an insightful … Continue reading →

Just couldn’t resist this. 🗞️ It may be a one off, or there’ll be a delay before others follow. Or it’s the start of something. What is…? 🛍️ A national newspaper story with a headline which includes the words: “high … Continue reading →

By chance out & about on successive days in locations that place branding specialists would I think include those two words in any brief for. 🚈 So while you’re in a town centre should you see references to its #heritage … Continue reading →

Arts & crafts, creative, culture, community, history & heritage, leisure, education, health, health & wellbeing. 🧶 How much of a role are these playing in your town and city centre. Does one of them have the potential to be a … Continue reading →

How many towns promote neighbouring villages as part of their marketing and comms. Are your #highstreet businesses doing the same in their own social media…? I ask following an enjoyable and insightful day with #TheVacantShopsAcademy in Brentwood, Ingatestone and Shenfield … Continue reading →

Really excited to be able to play a part in the next stage of Crewe town centre’s revival… …especially as the heart of our role with #TheVacantShopsAcademy is exploring opportunities for #popupshop or ‘meanwhile… use’ of some of the empty … Continue reading →

“I am doing MY best”. “I can have my limitations.” 🏥 We often talk on here about the potential for #health and health & wellbeing services as one of the really promising ‘alternative’ or rather ‘additional use’ options for vacant … Continue reading →

Never go back, they say… But I guess it’s okay to walk-see a town centre and catch up with #property and #placemaking friends. So return to Banbury, a place we got to know really well as part of its #townteam, … Continue reading →

So how does a town centre drop its number of empty #highstreet units from 23 to 3 in 18 months…? Returning to the theme of a recent out & about and the story of Wantage, Oxfordshire – the town that … Continue reading →

Seems like a question that’s a long way from our typical threads on tackling #highstreet vacancy. 🚽 But around half of the ‘next steps’ narratives we share with #TheVacantShopsAcademy locations we’re working with on that issue are less directly about … Continue reading →