Category Archives: News Centre

“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 →

“I love mushroom omelette. 🍄‍🟫 Oh look, someone’s given us mushrooms in the King’s Speech. 🥚 But wait… no eggs or milk…? Guess we’ll just have to manage with fried mushrooms then. ☹️ I like that too but… Pity.” 👨‍🍳 … Continue reading →

Are you involved as a whole place in getting large former department stores back into use…? ⏳ How many of your town and city centres still have them vacant after 2, 3 or more years…? Asking as it’s at the … Continue reading →

Nationally the headline ‘empty shops’ vacancy rate is around 14%. 📉 Could the new Levelling Up team set as a target to drop that into single figures…? I believe so. We know how to do this. 🗝️ A starting point … Continue reading →

Awesome week out & about #highstreet #placemaking. 💡 Four very different places so intriguing to see the common ground and how much the local teams could share. Our #TheVacantShopsAcademy focus on reducing empty shops numbers is one of those – … Continue reading →

Do love to see a ‘Play Me’ piano when we’re out & about #highstreet #placemaking. 🚆 As we’re committed at #TheVacantShopsAcademy to travel by train wherever we can, it’s especially great to see them at rail stations. This one is … Continue reading →