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# The Vacant Shops Academy

Tackling #highstreet empty shops issues, #placemaking

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## Posts

- [News Centre](https://prbi.co.uk/latest-news/)
- [New Year. New openings...](https://prbi.co.uk/new-openings/) - 4 new openings this year on a single town centre street… …is just one of the encouraging stories emerging from locations we’re working with on tackling #highstreet vacancy. What’s new from independents in your town or city centre. It’d be great to hear…! The 4 story is from Tredegar (pictured is one of those, Honey
- [Never go back they say…](https://prbi.co.uk/never-go-back-they-say/) - But I think I’m okay to go walk-see Banbury town centre. It’s a place that I’ve always thought has a huge amount going for it: heritage buildings, a sizeable independents group, lots of pedestrianised space, proactive shopping centre team, the award-winning Lock29 destination, canal with a developing leisure offer on both sides, a sprinkling of
- [What would be in your ‘High Streets Strategy’…?](https://prbi.co.uk/what-would-be-in-your-high-streets-strategy/) - What would you change…? With the government promising to publish a ‘High Streets Strategy’ later this year, I thought to share again the tackling #highstreet vacancy-focused ‘manifesto’ I drew up in May ‘24 in the run up to that year’s election. The aim is to deliver the policy and regulation adjusts that will help places
- [From mid teens into single figures…?](https://prbi.co.uk/from-mid-teens-into-single-figures/) - Your town or city centre’s headline vacancy rate is almost exactly the national average - that’s quoted as 13.5%. So what could you realistically set as a target looking ahead…? It’s a very practical question I’ve been asked this week having been drafting ‘next steps’ for one of the locations we’re working with on tackling
- [“Get the Keys”](https://prbi.co.uk/get-the-keys/) - …or why it’s so valuable for places working on tackling #highstreet vacancy to take a team inside empty units to work out how to get them back in use. That’ll be the focus of the next in our series of guides and briefing notes, hoping they help local teams working on reducing the number of
- [Manifesto time…?](https://prbi.co.uk/manifesto-time/) - I’m not sure how much of the campaign cake #highstreet and specifically tackling vacancy will get, maybe a small slice given other priorities. But now we know places can halve their headline vacancy rate and by doing things all towns and cities can do, why wouldn’t it appeal. We know how to do this, and
- [A new ‘High Streets Strategy’…](https://prbi.co.uk/a-new-high-streets-strategy/) - Let’s get places to try halve their headline vacancy rate and drop the long-stuck national empties percentage into single figures. Reading that the government is planning to publish a ‘High Streets Strategy’ later this year, I thought to table again the top item on my tackling #highstreet vacancy ‘manifesto’… “Ask (and resource) every local authority
- [About “negative nostalgia”…](https://prbi.co.uk/about-negative-nostalgia/) - I’ve started wondering if we should maybe switch how we think about it…? To explain first, it’s a phrase being used to describe people answering #highstreet surveys, commenting in the press and posting on social media about how their town or city centre “isn’t what it used to be”. When that happens it’s often a
- [What’s the plan for your priority vacants…?](https://prbi.co.uk/whats-the-plan-for-your-priority-vacants/) - It’s a large, prominent but now long-empty unit in your town centre, and it’s starting show the signs of that too. Paint peeling, partly boarded up, greenery sprouting around the windows. Got one like that or more…? So what are you doing about it as a place. I’ve spent part of this week working with
- [“…and we are expecting a busy year.”](https://prbi.co.uk/and-we-are-expecting-a-busy-year/) - “Across the country, 13.5% of shops stand empty, the lowest vacancy rate since 2020, with a further drop expected next year.” That’s a line from one press story this week. Now I get that a single positive national media article doesn’t a switch of narrative make… …but I wanted to share in case you missed
- [It’s been some journey so far… ](https://prbi.co.uk/its-been-some-journey-so-far/) - Four years ago this week since I closed the laptop on my time as Oxford City Centre Manager (on Christmas Eve to make it tidy and easy for even me to remember)… …and launched TheVacantShopsAcademy. Feel privileged to have been able to take our ‘audit, engage, encourage, promote’ approach on tackling #highstreet vacancy to 43
- [The Positives Summit…](https://prbi.co.uk/the-positives-summit/) - This is what happens if you put 100-plus ‘Positives’ in a room for two and a half hours… …even if it’s a virtual one. And so my reflections on an inspiring, insightful first HighStreetPositives summit, albeit a little later than those of many attendees. Co-hosting duties mean focusing on introducing speakers and panellists, asking questions,
- [Making a move…](https://prbi.co.uk/making-a-move/) - Shops moving from one to another building in your town or city centre is always an interesting and important part of the story. It can be for a range of reasons and I would love to hear examples from #property and #placemaking colleagues… Looking for a bigger space either to expand the existing offer or
- [Platform at the heart of Crewe’s regen journey…](https://prbi.co.uk/platform-at-the-heart-of-crewes-regen-journey/) - One of the joys of this job is that it takes you to different places, you meet brilliant people working hard to make their town or city the best it can be… …and you find special stories. This is one. If you read the previous post about Crewe town centre and all that’s happening there,
- [All change at Crewe…](https://prbi.co.uk/all-change-at-crewe-2/) - There’s a really interesting and encouraging story emerging here… …and very different to our first ‘audit’ walk-see in the autumn of ‘22. It’s actual High Street quietly transforming thanks to a combination of investing landlord, council tackling vacancy grant scheme and enterprising business owners; A new ‘Southern Gateway Link’ improving connectivity between the town centre
- [Another week, more new openings…](https://prbi.co.uk/another-week-more-new-openings/) - This is why I’m so optimistic about the future for our town and city centres. The new openings in our image set, different types in varying towns, but sharing a story of investment, hard work and imagination to get the unit ready, collaboration with and support from local tradesfolk and neighbour businesses, and excitement about
- [What’s new…](https://prbi.co.uk/whats-new/) - A very welcome new shop, a popular eatery, maybe something creative or community… What’s making the news on your town or city centre social media channels…? It could be a #retail or #hospitality business opening, brand or indie - and it’d be great to hear examples from your place… For many a #highstreet those two
- [150+ years old but it’s time is now…](https://prbi.co.uk/150-years-old-but-its-time-is-now/) - Another intriguing element of our tackling vacancy work in Tredegar is the role an historic landmark is playing now and might do going forward. It’d be really interesting to hear examples from #highstreet #placemaking colleagues of famous features in your town or city centres being drawn into a similar regen conversation. In Tredegar it’s the
- [Why ‘look’ might be first…](https://prbi.co.uk/why-look-might-be-first/) - Brilliant to be back in Tredegar to see the latest in their stunning wall and street art series, with more to follow… It’s a really insightful example I know other ‘place partnership’ teams are taking an interest in of how wider #placemaking initiatives can be central to a tackling #highstreet vacancy project - and maybe,
- [New from The Vacant Shops Academy…](https://prbi.co.uk/new-from-the-vacant-shops-academy/) - Time to unveil our emerging set of guides and briefing notes on and around the challenge of tackling vacancy… They draw on projects and initiatives we’ve been involved with or seen, and our work with place leaders and managers in the 43 locations we’ve taken #TheVacantShopsAcademy so far. The rationale for writing and sharing them
- [Pride in Place…](https://prbi.co.uk/pride-in-place/) - Two of the really encouraging and inspiring projects (of many) I’ve seen since starting our tackling vacancy work… …are things you might take a moment to wonder how they help places reduce their headline vacancy rate and improve the mix of uses. Both also feel like important contributions to the bigger ‘Pride in Place’ conversation
- [To Llanelli and Carmarthen…](https://prbi.co.uk/to-llanelli-and-carmarthen/) - Brilliant two days with one of the local teams we’re working alongside on tackling vacancy… …with a number of positive and encouraging signs of things happening that are helping bring down their empty shops numbers already and will make bigger reductions possible in the months ahead. I’d be really interested to hear from you on
- [The how of halving…](https://prbi.co.uk/the-how-of-halving/) - “You could aim to halve your headline vacancy rate in 18 months.” I said that 4 times this week in conversations with place leaders from different locations - two cities, two towns. Not ones we’re commissioned in, tho they have empty ‘shops’ challenges by the sounds. “But what about online shopping, out-of-town retail parks, the
- [Linen lines…](https://prbi.co.uk/linen-lines/) - “Join us on a stroll through streets full of linen stories, exploring heritage and contemporary design as we walk and talk.” Sounds great to me, and it sparked new conversations about the role history & heritage, the buildings, people and their stories, can play in our tackling #highstreet vacancy work today. So “Welcome to Dunfermline
- [Reflections…](https://prbi.co.uk/reflections/) - “Reasons to be cheerful, part (forty) three.” …to slightly adjust that 80’s lyric. So reflecting on 3 successive weeks out & about in 5 locations - three town centres, two cities - visiting existing and new tackling #highstreet vacancy commissions… …and seeing enough HighStreetPositives to fill a Laura Harris newsletter. It remains challenging for sure
- [Agent / No agent and why that’s a key tackling vacancy stat…](https://prbi.co.uk/agent-no-agent-and-why-thats-a-key-tackling-vacancy-stat/) - “Half the visibly vacant units in town and city centres have no commercial property agent involved in trying to get them let.” 50 per cent. One in every two. …and that’s an average figure, so in your place it might be higher. Tho of course there are locations with a lower number, in some we’ve
- […and into the Heartland of the Scottish Borders](https://prbi.co.uk/and-into-the-heartland-of-the-scottish-borders/) - To visit another of our new Scotland tackling #highstreet vacancy commissions: Galashiels. Lots to reflect on including… A really strong group of independents, in attractive buildings with careful work done on shop fronts and window displays; Major additions, the award-winning, purpose-built Great Tapestry of Scotland centre and new Transport Interchange; A long stretch of maintained
- [“A venture into Scotland’s heart.”](https://prbi.co.uk/a-venture-into-scotlands-heart/) - …a really enjoyable, insightful first visit to Stirling city centre. a collection of striking buildings, with thought given to reflecting their history; a really strong group of #retail, #hospitality and services independents; a varied national brand offer, largely based in the indoor shopping centre; a number of recent additions with more on the way; signs
- [Monmouth moving…](https://prbi.co.uk/monmouth-moving/) - It’s really heartening to return to a town centre we’d run our ‘audit, engage’ approach in among earlier adopters for #TheVacantShopsAcademy and to find it looks to be moving forward strongly on a number of fronts. So back to the attractive, heritage town that is Monmouth and several noticeable changes, including… + A new group
- [Part of the why for wall art…](https://prbi.co.uk/part-of-the-why-for-wall-art/) - It’s great to see stunning #streetart out & about in town and city centres… …and I am a big believer in the positive impact it can have on a place, including where we’re working on tackling #highstreet vacancy. So it was a real joy to be back in Tredegar and see these - part of
- [Fleetwood thinking…](https://prbi.co.uk/fleetwood-thinking/) - Historic landmarks, heritage buildings, seafront, #streetart and installations, treasured local characters, a market - all things that can be a factor in work to strengthen the vitality and viability of your town or city centre and its businesses today. It’d be really interesting to hear how important those features are if you have them in
- [All change at Crewe…](https://prbi.co.uk/all-change-at-crewe/) - It’s a town centre with a really interesting tackling vacancy story emerging. Sensibly, everyone involved here - agents, landlords, businesses, community, cultural organisations, councils, chamber, BID - is emphasising there’s much to do yet. And there is. When we did an ‘audit’ here last August Crewe town centre’s headline #highstreet vacancy rate was in the
- [Group effort…](https://prbi.co.uk/group-effort/) - It was just one of those special town centres days… An insightful, enjoyable and encouraging trip to meet the team behind the Dewsbury Arcade regen story and some of those who’ll be a crucial part of its next chapter as “the UK’s very first community-run shopping centre”. So I was invited to talk about tackling
- [Getting an empty unit back into play…](https://prbi.co.uk/getting-an-empty-unit-back-into-play/) - If you could bring one empty unit in your town or city centre back into use, which would it be… and why…? Might it be because it’s a prominent, landmark maybe heritage building, it’s very long time empty, it looks worse than any of the others, it has the most potential to transform the fortunes
- [Time to join “the positives”…](https://prbi.co.uk/time-to-join-the-positives/) - “They’re not making this up. This is really what they see and are finding. Their day-to-day experience on and about the #highstreet.” It’s a line I was inspired to use while co-hosting the latest in a series of launch events for the brilliant HighStreetPositives campaign, this time in Darlington. From a hugely encouraging agent update
- [City of Stories…](https://prbi.co.uk/city-of-stories/) - A city that was home during my first run of radio days (who knew…?). A place I’ve returned to often down the years. Chance to see what’s changed and changing and catch up with some of the things that have stayed the same, at least outwardly, even if they’ve adjusted with the times to still
- [A few days in…](https://prbi.co.uk/a-few-days-in/) - Hugely cheering to see a town centre I’ve been visiting since the mid-1980’s and which means a lot to me, looking and seeming so well… As always when you’re somewhere to walk-see rather than work, it’s important to emphasise that you may be missing something and that local residents or #highstreet businesses could have a
- [Getting those trickier, long-time empties back in play…](https://prbi.co.uk/getting-those-trickier-long-time-empties-back-in-play/) - “Get the keys. Go take a look inside, as a team.” It’s an answer I gave when asked this week by a group of place leaders and managers about two large, long-time empty units in their town centre. The idea that tackling #highstreet vacancy is much more than “just an agent-landlord thing” is a crucial
- [A role for your town’s yesterday, today…](https://prbi.co.uk/a-role-for-your-towns-yesterday-today/) - Castle walls, heritage buildings, historic figures remembered, striking views. How much do any or all of those play a part in your tackling #highstreet vacancy project…? It’d be great to hear examples from your town or city centre. Those four may not seem obvious candidates. But if they attract visitors in (footfall), become a reason
- [Don’t forget the #highstreet businesses you do have…](https://prbi.co.uk/dont-forget-the-highstreet-businesses-you-do-have/) - Let’s not allow any empty units we have in our town or city centres to dominate the narrative. Places where vacancy is an issue often find that’s the talk of local social media rather than the great businesses and organisations you do have. For sure have a tackling vacancy-focused ‘place partnership’ getting to grips with
- [Change and your tackling vacancy approach…](https://prbi.co.uk/change-and-your-tackling-vacancy-approach/) - If your town or city centre is changing significantly and quickly, it makes a big difference to your approach to tackling vacancy. It’s one of a range of reasons we ought to be very cautious about publishing league tables of empty shops rates. The change you’re seeing might be a variety of development and repurposing
- [New locations, new opening, pipeline progress…](https://prbi.co.uk/new-locations-new-opening-pipeline-progress/) - 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 which will take us to Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Then mid-month we’re back to check
- [Quiet in the heart of a city…](https://prbi.co.uk/quiet-in-the-heart-of-a-city/) - 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 spot where you can just sit and think or read or listen (on headphones) to
- [One city or…?](https://prbi.co.uk/one-city-or/) - 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 number of the 36 locations we’re supporting through #TheVacantShopsAcademy, where one, two or more sections
- [We know how to do this…](https://prbi.co.uk/we-know-how-to-do-this/) - 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 inside, woodwork failing, window frames peeling, branches and bushes growing where they shouldn’t. Dragging down
- [A valuable extra tool in the tackling vacancy toolkit…](https://prbi.co.uk/a-valuable-extra-tool-in-the-tackling-vacancy-toolkit/) - 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 scale of comments ranging between “unworkable” and “unnecessary”). From our tackling #highstreet vacancy perspective tho,
- [The ‘when’ of choosing a #highstreet location…](https://prbi.co.uk/the-when-of-choosing-a-highstreet-location/) - 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, bringing together as it does in-house property professionals for major #retail brands. When you’re making
- [City of…](https://prbi.co.uk/city-of/) - 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 to see a city centre with such a lot happening and especially so - believing
- [What would be your number one #highstreet policy ask…?](https://prbi.co.uk/what-would-be-your-number-one-highstreet-policy-ask/) - 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 reviews in commercial leases. To be fair words used to describe this one have sometimes,
- [Your 2025 lettings season so far…?](https://prbi.co.uk/your-2025-lettings-season-so-far/) - 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 from our alternative / additional go-to list: arts & crafts, creative, culture, community, history &
- [The power of the Positives…](https://prbi.co.uk/the-power-of-the-positives/) - 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 love to see. Thanks to Ojay McDonald and Karen Shields at the Association of Town
- [It’s not all about the numbers…](https://prbi.co.uk/its-not-all-about-the-numbers/) - So here’s a tricky balancing act… …and (yet) another reason why having a positive, proactive, tackling #highstreet vacancy-focused ‘place partnership’ can be a huge help in reducing empty unit numbers and importantly too, improving the mix of use types your town or city centre has. The thought was sparked by seeing a commercial agent posting
- [3 years, 36 locations and counting…](https://prbi.co.uk/3-years-36-locations-and-counting/) - It’s 3 years this week since our first out & about on a tackling vacancy commission for The Vacant Shops Academy. Thanks Cheltenham…! In the time since we’ve taken our ‘audit, engage, encourage, promote’ approach to 36 locations, seen some great places, worked with brilliant place leaders and managers and learned a huge amount. Thank
- [Our guide to tackling #highstreet vacancy. Updated…](https://prbi.co.uk/our-guide-to-tackling-highstreet-vacancy-updated/) - “…work together, deploy all the projects that apply to your place, not just one or two elements, and you will have an effective strategy to reduce vacancy and improve the local mix of uses.” Updating our guide to tackling #highstreet vacancy and a chance to reflect on what’s changed in the year since we first
- [We don’t talk enough about windows...](https://prbi.co.uk/we-dont-talk-enough-about-windows/) - Windows. No. Not the PC operating systems thing. I’m the least technical person you know. I mean the #highstreet shop front and upper floors type and why they can be important to tackling town and city centre vacancy. Here’s how. Whether that empty unit you’d like to let has enough window to be good for
- [To vinyl…?](https://prbi.co.uk/to-vinyl/) - Are you putting vinyls on empty units in your town or city centre. It’d be great to hear experiences, positive or challenging. We were asked by one of the locations we’re supporting on tackling #highstreet vacancy about the approach to some of their long-time empties. So we’ve drafted a briefing based on projects we’ve seen
- [Upper Floors Study on stage…](https://prbi.co.uk/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 if upper floor spaces in your town or city centre feel like a challenge or
- [Bradford Live: an inspirational story…](https://prbi.co.uk/bradford-live-an-inspirational-story/) - Hands up who has a unit or even a whole building in their town or city centre that’s been empty for five years. Any for 10 years…? What about 20…? It’s a question I asked attendees at an interactive workshop I was kindly invited to chair for Association of Town & City Management and their
- [Going back to Bradford…](https://prbi.co.uk/going-back-to-bradford/) - It’s a brilliant city centre… …so enjoyed our time in Bradford for the Association of Town & City Management’s sunny Summer School #SS25Bradford, with place leaders and managers from around the country. A huge amount happening, more in the pipeline. Awesome heritage buildings, transformative public realm projects delivering an extended pedestrianised area, fountain-filled Mirror Pool,
- [A bigger role for art, music, storytelling and more…](https://prbi.co.uk/a-bigger-role-for-art-music-storytelling-and-more/) - Looking ahead to an exciting week in the conversation about how much of a role arts & crafts, creative, culture can play in our town and city centres… …in lots of ways, but in particular for our focus on tackling #highstreet vacancy. A big part of that is the Association of Town & City Management
- [Tackling town and city centre vacancy. A blog…](https://prbi.co.uk/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 tackle vacancy in the town centre. I said contact Iain Nicholson of the Vacant Shops Academy (I
- [Is your place on a requirement list…?](https://prbi.co.uk/is-your-place-on-a-requirement-list/) - What happens when a national brand targets your town or city centre for a new store or venue. Working on tackling #highstreet vacancy, as we are now with 36 different locations, we’ve many agent connections and so regularly see and send on requirement lists, which set out the places they’d like to open in. Typically
- [Why we suggest getting hold of the keys…](https://prbi.co.uk/3000-2/) - What would you do with these 4 empty units… …well maybe not this exact set as they’re images from a recent town centre walk-see, and there maybe things happening behind the scenes with them. But it’s a conversation we’re having with local teams in #highstreet locations we are working about large, prominent, often multi-floor, sometimes
- [Is it time to rethink…](https://prbi.co.uk/is-it-time-to-rethink/) - Should we pause the knocking down thing in town and city centres…? Just to allow a moment to review, take a tackling #highstreet vacancy-focused ‘place partnership’ team inside the empty units, explore the barriers and options to occupy and, importantly, see whether together we can find a way to get them back into use…? I
- [People, places and halving your headline highstreet vacancy rate…](https://prbi.co.uk/people-places-and-halving-your-headline-highstreet-vacancy-rate/) - One of the reasons I’m so optimistic about the future of our town and city centres is the people… …council colleagues, BID teams, #property agents, landlords, businesses, community leaders, cultural organisation members, shopping centre asset managers and more, working hard amongst often complex, sometimes competing challenges to make their places the best they can be.
- [A new highstreet alongside the old…](https://prbi.co.uk/a-new-highstreet-alongside-the-old/) - It’s always interesting to return to a town you’ve not been in for a while… …especially one that added a new #highstreet or uncovered, single street shopping centre, to its existing one. And so, just for a walk-see, to Didcot - a town that’s seen a significant population increase with major housing development driven by
- [A city evolving…](https://prbi.co.uk/2981-2/) - “An innovative space for clients and non-customers, which brings a bank, co-working area and coffee house together in a single place.” And that’s your new work cafe by a bank. Interesting. After a full-on month which has taken us to Aberdeen, Blackburn, Blackpool, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale, Tredegar and Crewe, time for a walk-see of my
- [What’s its story…?](https://prbi.co.uk/whats-its-story/) - Sometimes in a town or city centre a particular empty unit draws your attention. Maybe it’s attractive, unusual, heritage even… …and makes you wonder what its story is, why it’s empty, what options there are for its future and how the place can help it get there. Often talking to the agent or landlord you’ll
- [The tackling vacancy Tipping Point…](https://prbi.co.uk/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 #retail, #hospitality, services and other business or organisation types opening, that gives you a momentum
- [It’s not a talking shop…](https://prbi.co.uk/2965-2/) - What’s the best way to get the delivery stage of your tackling #highstreet vacancy initiative underway. Believing so strongly in town and city centres where empty units is an issue having a positive, proactive, inclusive ‘place partnership’ on the case, it’s a question we’re often asked. Reminded by a thoughtful recent post by our #placemaking
- [All the shop’s a stage…](https://prbi.co.uk/all-the-shops-a-stage/) - So I sat for two hours in a vacant town centre shop… …and had a great time…! Good thing is, I was not alone. The best thing is I was really lucky to have been there as part of the audience for a Crewe staging of the brilliant Mick Martin play Keep On Keepin’ On.
- [Street art and tackling vacancy…](https://prbi.co.uk/2942-2/) - I feel like I might have wandered into a caption competition here… …but I wanted to share this, and ask with it, how can wall art and installations contribute to our tackling #highstreet vacancy work…? I’m on record as saying how much I love to see #streetart in places I visit and in locations we’re
- [The maybe why of vacant units…](https://prbi.co.uk/the-maybe-why-of-vacant-units/) - There is a long list of reasons why a landlord might not be keen on letting an empty #highstreet unit. I promised in comments when the previous post about the (high) percentage of visibly vacant units that have no agent involved in trying to get them back into use published on LinkedIn, to set out
- [Visibly vacant but…](https://prbi.co.uk/visibly-vacant-but/) - 40% of visibly vacant #highstreet units have no agent involved in trying to get them let. And that’s on average, some places have an even higher figure. We’re really grateful to the team at national commercial #property agents GCW for reflecting this issue as part of an article in their latest newsletter. It matters because
- [A team approach to getting upper floors back in use…](https://prbi.co.uk/a-team-approach-to-getting-highstreet-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 I should get out more. But for tackling #highstreet vacancy and the part of that
- [From farm to…? High Street…?](https://prbi.co.uk/from-farm-to-high-street/) - Heard a brilliant story this week… …one that could be repeated in every town and city centre where tackling #highstreet vacancy is an issue. Thing is. It was a story about a farm. So how - you may be asking - does that translate to a ‘high street’ setting…? The story was shared by at
- [Who’s taking on your empty units…?](https://prbi.co.uk/whos-taking-on-your-empty-units/) - How is your town or city centre faring so far in the new #highstreet lettings season. What #retail, #hospitality or services businesses or organisations have taken on empty units… …and importantly are you driving it as a place, working together, or do you see tackling vacancy as just “an agent-landlord thing.” It feels an important
- [The inside story…](https://prbi.co.uk/the-inside-story/) - “Go take a look inside those empty units in your town or city centre, and do it as a team.” It’s something that’s part of our ‘next steps’ for every ‘place partnership’ we’re working with on tackling #highstreet vacancy. Why…? That way you get to see for yourselves why it’s empty, what the barriers are
- [Learning to take on empty units…](https://prbi.co.uk/learning-to-take-on-empty-units/) - Who has new education uses taking up vacant space on your #highstreet…? It’s on our list of ‘alternative’ or maybe better, ‘additional’ go-to uses, alongside #retail, #hospitality & services: arts & crafts, creative, culture, community, history & heritage, leisure, education, health and health & wellbeing, but we talk about it less, perhaps seeing the first
- [A tail of a street art day…](https://prbi.co.uk/a-tail-of-a-street-art-day/) - It’s just lovely to sit and watch #streetart or art installations do their work for a town centre…! Seeing people having their photo taken in front - often, hopefully, for onward use on their social media; Hearing parents explain to accompanying children that it’s part of a trail they’ll go on and see the next
- [Requirement lists…](https://prbi.co.uk/requirement-lists-2/) - Is your place keeping across the target new shop or venue location requirements posted here by agents and brand property directors…? It’s a really important part of the role of a tackling #highstreet vacancy-focused ‘place partnership’, and I’d say agent colleagues will tell you it makes a difference to them to hear quickly from a
- [Why wouldn’t you go for it…?](https://prbi.co.uk/why-wouldnt-you-go-for-it/) - “You should aim to halve your #highstreet vacancy rate in 18 months.” I’m never sure whether to actually say this out loud when talking with place leaders about our ‘audit, engage, encourage, promote’ approach to reducing the number of empty units in your town or city centre, and improve the mix of uses. I 100%
- [‘Promote’, more than just 4th on the list…](https://prbi.co.uk/promote-more-than-just-4th-on-the-list/) - Shout about the good stuff in your town or city centre… …and please don’t let empty shops dominate the narrative. The message is the same whether you have significant vacancy numbers in the mid / high teens or over 20 per cent, or lower rates with some tricky long-term empty, landmark buildings and concern among
- [Keep On Keepin’ On…](https://prbi.co.uk/keep-on-keepin-on/) - How exciting is this…! “We’re opening up conversations about how culture can help revitalise the #highstreet, drawing communities back— especially those underrepresented in traditional theatre spaces.” Just thrilled to be working with the team at Northern Soul Productions and three local BID teams ‘Keep On Keepin’ On: Revitalising the High Street with Northern Soul’. As
- [Let’s stop wasting those upper floors spaces…](https://prbi.co.uk/lets-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 very valuable learning.” Super excited to be headed back to the awesome city that is
- [Four new town centre openings in recent weeks…](https://prbi.co.uk/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 encouraging latest visit to Tredegar town centre for lots of reasons. Four new businesses have
- [“There is a lot to like…”](https://prbi.co.uk/there-is-a-lot-to-like/) - “It’s our city, and a city we’re very proud of.” It was great to share a platform with two council cabinet members at the Heritage Network ‘High Street Regeneration: Collaborating for Success’ event in Newport this week, and to hear their take on the past, present and future of Newport city centre. Interesting too to
- [The why and how of a tackling vacancy-focused ‘place partnership’…](https://prbi.co.uk/the-why-and-how-of-a-tackling-vacancy-focused-place-partnership/) - Having a positive, proactive ‘place partnership’ on the case makes a huge difference to how quickly and sustainably you’ll reduce your #highstreet vacancy rates and improve your town or city centre mix of uses. Why…? I’m looking forward to making the case in a presentation for the Heritage Network at their ‘High Street Regeneration: Collaborating
- [Doing a power of good…?](https://prbi.co.uk/doing-a-power-of-good/) - So another 8 places sign up to be early adopters for the new High Street Rental Auctions power for local councils. 3 in London, 5 outside, taking the tally to 11. It’s going to be fascinating to see how they get on, and the number of vacant units it helps them bring back into play.
- [Meeting the gizmobots…](https://prbi.co.uk/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 list - arts & crafts, creative, culture, community, history & heritage, leisure, education, health and
- [Encouraging early signs…?](https://prbi.co.uk/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 near pipeline. When a place has a mid / high teens vacancy rate and you’re
- [Surely it’s time…](https://prbi.co.uk/surely-its-time/) - So £1.5 billion in funding for 75 communities. It ought to be enough for a fraction to be allocated to tackling #highstreet vacancy and finally get the long-stuck national rate off 14% into single figures. If every one of the 75 listed locations that has vacancy in the mid / high teens or over 20%
- [So we are into the 2025 lettings season…](https://prbi.co.uk/so-we-are-into-the-2025-lettings-season/) - Is your place on the front foot to make the most of it to drive down your #highstreet vacancy levels and improve the mix of uses…? It’s the time of year when typically interest in taking on space in our town and city centres picks up. So… Do you have a ‘place partnership’ in play
- [Being part of the positive…](https://prbi.co.uk/being-part-of-the-positive/) - An enjoyable and insightful visit to Grimsby including sitting in on the latest Town Centre Regeneration Event by the local 2025 Group. Great to get an update on the various projects and initiatives that are giving the town a genuine sense of momentum… A transformative, cinema-led leisure and new market scheme; The #highstreet streetscene improvement
- [Requirement lists…](https://prbi.co.uk/requirement-lists/) - “Expanding brands target 2025 openings” Continuing our mini-series on headlines you’ll not see, we tracked back on the brand requirement lists of target locations we’ve shared with local tackling #highstreet vacancy teams around the country already this year. These are just a sample of those we’ve seen posted here by commercial property agents and acquisition
- [A special town…](https://prbi.co.uk/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; Drop in on a group of new independent #retail and #hospitality businesses; Pick up a
- [“Tackling vacancy: reasons to be cheerful…”](https://prbi.co.uk/tackling-vacancy-reasons-to-be-cheerful/) - That was the enthusiastically upbeat title of a presentation I delivered this week to Warwickshire Towns Network… …an opportunity to set out for local #placemaking teams why we so strongly believe in the ‘place partnership’ approach whatever empty ‘shop’ numbers you have, and the elements we’re seeing that contribute to our optimism about the #highstreet.
- [A new lettings season…?](https://prbi.co.uk/a-new-lettings-season/) - First signs of Spring in your town or city centre…? If you’re still togged up in gloves, scarf and woolly hat and think I may be losing it, bear with… I ask because tho this is typically the time of year when #highstreet businesses planning an exit will do that having stayed in for Christmas
- [Target occupiers for your empty units…](https://prbi.co.uk/target-occupiers-for-your-empty-units/) - Who are you talking to as potential new tenants for the empty units in your town or city centre…? I really hope that if you’re one of the potential lead organisations - a council, BID or chamber - you are at least on the tackling #highstreet vacancy case. All our experience stretching back to 2013
- [History & heritage today…](https://prbi.co.uk/history-heritage-today/) - We’re keen to hear about new examples of your town or city’s history and heritage playing a part in efforts to make them the best they can be today. The two feature in our list of potential go-to options for places looking to tackle #highstreet vacancy by taking on empty units which starts with arts
- [Tredegar…](https://prbi.co.uk/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.
- [So what’s changed…?](https://prbi.co.uk/so-whats-changed/) - In 2025 thinking about ‘next steps’ for one of our current commissions - Brynmawr in Blaenau Gwent - set me reflecting on what’s changed…?
- [Adding to the mix (and why it can be as important as the reducing vacancy numbers)…](https://prbi.co.uk/adding-to-the-mix-and-why-it-can-be-as-important-as-the-reducing-vacancy-numbers/) - “Does our town centre really need more of those?” It’s a comment you often hear when a new letting is announced because residents and existing businesses don’t think it adds to the #retail, #hospitality or services mix. “I don’t go to town any more it’s just full of…” And then the list of whatever use
- [No thanks to permitted development…?](https://prbi.co.uk/no-thanks-to-permitted-development/) - It’s the first I’ve seen of a council looking to take up this option “to protect the high street”. Are #placemaking and #property colleagues seeing similar in other parts of the country…? This from the BBC explains the story: “A Surrey council is proposing to stop allowing developers to turn retail properties into housing without
- [Banking on a ‘place partnership’ approach…](https://prbi.co.uk/banking-on-a-place-partnership-approach/) - Let’s step up our efforts to get former banks in town and city centres back into use. With another tranche of closures having just been announced there are now more and more places with this as a challenge, and it’s not easy. These are often large, high-rent units; Their layout and sometimes frontage / windows
- [#HighStreetPositives…!](https://prbi.co.uk/highstreetpositives/) - I’ve shared almost 100 positive #highstreet news stories from my timeline so far this month. It’s January. There’s 3 days more to go. And still. Averaging 4 sent across, every day. I get that it’s challenging in our town and city centres, that we have a huge amount still to do. But… Surely that’s enough
- [‘Promote’ what you have…](https://prbi.co.uk/2616-2/) - Promoting your existing town or city centre businesses and making sure you support them as best you can is a really important, but sometimes lost, part of a tackling #highstreet vacancy project. In our work with #TheVacantShopsAcademy we often find that empty ‘shops’ dominate the narrative, media coverage and resident perceptions, and the great brand
- [Inside your #highstreet empties…](https://prbi.co.uk/2626-2/) - What do your vacant #highstreet units look like on the inside, especially if they’re the long-time, tricky-to-let ones. Do you know…? Has your tackling vacancy-focused ‘place partnership’ been and taken a look. It’d be great to hear if you have and what you thought. I’m a big fan of the local team - town or
- [One empty unit, but…](https://prbi.co.uk/one-empty-unit-but/) - It’s interesting how often a single empty building or a small number of them feel like they hold the key to the future for a whole town or city centre, even when they’re only one or a few out of a hundred or more. It’s one of the (many) reasons why we urge #TheVacantShopsAcademy locations
- [‘Alternative’ go to options for your vacant units…?](https://prbi.co.uk/alternative-go-to-options-for-your-vacant-units/) - A really intriguing part of our tackling #highstreet vacancy work of late has been conversations with local housing association colleagues, school, college, library / leisure services leaders and, next week, police officers about playing a part - even as far as taking on an empty unit for their organisation. If you haven’t already, might it
- [From a landlord perspective…](https://prbi.co.uk/from-a-landlord-perspective/) - For those of you used to seeing (or maybe even using) the words “greedy” or “absentee” every time you read “landlord”, conversations in recent weeks have suggested some alternatives. How about “struggling”, “anxious”, “at a loss”, “prepared to try things”…? It’s one of the (many) reasons we so strongly believe in every town and city
- [Thinking creatives…](https://prbi.co.uk/thinking-creatives/) - Artists, crafters, creative and culture groups could for sure play a bigger part in our town and city centres. We know from our work with #TheVacantShopsAcademy that many would love to if we can overcome the barriers. So it’s exciting to be connecting with creatives in one of our locations to try assess interest levels.
- [Let’s take the coast walk…](https://prbi.co.uk/lets-take-the-coast-walk/) - A nearby coastline could be a big asset for tackling #highstreet vacancy and improving the mix of uses in your town or city centre. But how…? It seems like connectivity, competition and confidence might be key to this. Is the beach or the view or its working life attracting people; Are they the same as
- [A nation of shopkeepers…?](https://prbi.co.uk/a-nation-of-shopkeepers/) - Where do we get the next generation of #highstreet shopkeepers from. The question was prompted by looking through the list of suggestions on our previous post which asked for “a list of new shops you’d love to see in our town or city centres, something that you personally would make the journey in to use,
- [What takes you to town…?](https://prbi.co.uk/what-takes-you-to-town/) - Let’s write a list of new shops we’d love to see in our town or city centres. Just one rule. It’s got to be something that you personally would make the journey in to use, and do so often enough that (with others doing the same) the owner can run it viably, long term. Go…!
- [You may say I’m a dreamer…](https://prbi.co.uk/you-may-say-im-a-dreamer/) - Would anyone mind if I think optimistically of the prospects for the #highstreet in 2025. I know many of you will have - as I did - spent time over Christmas and New Year wading through the tide of gloomster releases and reporting on footfall, sales and the like. So how do I get to
- [How schools and colleges could play a bigger part…](https://prbi.co.uk/how-schools-and-colleges-could-play-a-bigger-part/) - Really liked that our first briefing note of the new year was setting out for a local school suggestions of the very many ways they can play a significant and impactful part in a tackling #highstreet vacancy project for their town. Education is one key element of a group of potential uses for vacant units
- [Our Survey said…](https://prbi.co.uk/our-survey-said/) - Wandering our nearest town centre and wondering: if it ran a survey of residents and businesses to ask what they’d like to see take on its empty #highstreet unit opportunities, what answers we’d get. What would be the response if you asked residents and businesses the same in your town or city centre…? It’s not
- [So here’s to you…!](https://prbi.co.uk/so-heres-to-you/) - We talk a lot on here about empty units, and what might take those spaces, about town and city centres, policy and projects, awesome heritage buildings, #streetart and installations… …and maybe not enough about the most important part of all this - the people. I often say there’s no such thing as a council. It’s
- [Three years now…](https://prbi.co.uk/three-years-now/) - Kind of neat to find myself in this city as we approach another tackling #highstreet vacancy milestone… It was 24/12 three years ago next week that I shut the lap top on my Oxford City Centre Manager role and started #TheVacantShopsAcademy. It’s been an exciting journey so far. Visiting towns and cities I’d not seen,
- [“More shops please…”](https://prbi.co.uk/more-shops-please/) - “It does need more shops, so that there’s more to choose from.” This from one of the people interviewed by a TV crew as part of a piece about the #highstreet… …and it struck me how often you hear that if you talk to people about their town or city centres. But wait. What about
- [High Street Rental Auctions 2.0](https://prbi.co.uk/high-street-rental-auctions-2-0/) - That long-stuck 14% national vacancy rate must surely start to come down now. I say that based on two things: + Feedback from locations we’re working on tackling #highstreet vacancy with #TheVacantShopsAcademy, who are seeing their headline empty ‘shops’ rates fall, in some places very significantly (20-75%); + The government’s new High Street Rental Auctions
- [A Christmas wish…](https://prbi.co.uk/a-christmas-wish/) - I always enjoy my visits here. Heritage buildings and ventures, frequent reminders of its history, a variety of brands, long established indies, new arrivals, #retail, #hospitality, services, arts & crafts, creative, culture playing their part, waterways with a new leisure offer alongside, public space, innovating, people working hard to make it the best it can
- [Why education is on our list of tackling #highstreet vacancy go-to options…](https://prbi.co.uk/why-education-is-on-our-list-of-tackling-highstreet-vacancy-go-to-options/) - Let’s be really ambitious about the role schools and colleges can play in helping tackle vacancy in our town and city centres. We should maybe agree at the outset that it’s challenging: limitations on staff time plus curriculum and exam commitments are going to need overcoming. But… It’s easy to see how young people can
- [A vital component…](https://prbi.co.uk/a-vital-component/) - Retail is very much still part of the #highstreet mix. Shops are typically top of or at least prominent on any list of what residents say they want from their town or city centre when asked. A number of brands have extensive requirements lists and new opening programmes to add to their current holdings. So
- [Wall art…](https://prbi.co.uk/wall-art/) - …what’s that got to do with filling empty shops…? Typically the ‘next steps’ we draft for #TheVacantShopsAcademy tackling #highstreet vacancy locations are only half about the empty units themselves. The rest are more general #placemaking topics: markets, street scene, events, travel, wayfinding & access, promotion and… #streetart. It was the subject of some great conversations
- [ArtSpace…](https://prbi.co.uk/artspace/) - It’s just great to see. In Crewe town centre this week with #TheVacantShopsAcademy so a first chance to visit this new community-focused pop up art gallery, and talk to the ArtSpace team about their experiences so far and plans into 2025. It’s another illustration of the important role arts & crafts, creative, culture can play
- [Go-see…](https://prbi.co.uk/go-see/) - What’s behind the shutters, boards, maybe vinyls of those vacant units in your town or city centre. Take a look (if you haven’t already). It’s something we’d really encourage ‘place partnership’ members on tackling #highstreet vacancy projects to do. Get the keys and - as a team - go check inside any visibly vacant units
- [Poetry in #placemaking…](https://prbi.co.uk/poetry-in-placemaking/) - We should use poetry more often to help tackle #highstreet vacancy. It’s an idea sparked during an insightful and enjoyable visit with #TheVacantShopsAcademy to Grimsby town centre. The poem in the lead picture is one of the locally-focused features of window vinyls and other place-based messaging installations being used here. It made us reflect on
- [Even better at night…](https://prbi.co.uk/even-better-at-night/) - What does your place look like after dark. Are your historic buildings, waterways, art installations and other features highlighted. Is your town or city centre worth a late visit just to see them, and what’s its offer…? In particular, from our #TheVacantShopsAcademy tackling #highstreet vacancy perspective, is that a route to explore for reducing the
- [Understanding landlord circumstances and perspectives…](https://prbi.co.uk/understanding-landlord-circumstances-and-perspectives/) - Which words do you most often see or hear first if someone is just about to write or say #highstreet landlord. Greedy. Absentee. Not interested…? How about we replace those with… Struggling. Anxious. Trying (the making a big effort sort, not the frustrating). ⚖️ Understanding the perspectives of each of its stakeholders is a crucial
- [Tackling two of those very trick vacancy types…](https://prbi.co.uk/tackling-two-of-those-very-trick-vacancy-types/) - Would a National Early Vacancy Insurance Scheme work…? I’m hoping it’s something #legal and #property colleagues might have some thoughts on. The idea is to help us overcome two especially tricky kinds of empty unit: + Those where the tenant has left with time still in their lease and so continues to pay rent (and
- [So how have you done…?](https://prbi.co.uk/so-how-have-you-done/) - So the 2024 #highstreet lettings season is pretty well done, time to reflect on how your town and city centre did on reducing empty units. Though there’ll still be more in the pipeline for some places, it is typically a point in the calendar when interest in taking on space for a new shop or
- [Getting the mix right…](https://prbi.co.uk/getting-the-mix-right/) - Tackling #highstreet vacancy. It’s not just about the numbers. Several of our recent #TheVacantShopsAcademy commissions are in places that have - by comparison - relatively small empty unit counts. But they do warrant the tackling vacancy-focused ‘place partnership’ approach as much as those town or city centres where the headline rate is in the mid
- [Re-using red phone boxes…](https://prbi.co.uk/re-using-red-phone-boxes/) - Bit small for a shop, maybe. Maybe. What is your town or city centre doing with its decommissioned red phone boxes…? The question came up this week as part of a wider conversation about the (much bigger…?) role arts & crafts, creative, culture, history & heritage can play in our #highstreet places. For #TheVacantShopsAcademy locations
- [Out & about in Brackley & Towcester…](https://prbi.co.uk/out-about-in-brackley-towcester/) - A really enjoyable day visiting Brackley & Towcester - two really strong indie towns with #highstreet #retail businesses it’s well worth stopping by to see if you’re in that part of the world (of which more in future posts). As ever we are especially interested in the opportunities to join them with some nice units
- [What kind of tackling vacancy place is yours…?](https://prbi.co.uk/what-kind-of-tackling-vacancy-place-is-yours/) - Struggling. Ailing. One in the headline. The other in the intro. Both words used to describe the #highstreet by a national media report this week. Meanwhile, in a parallel universe, I was writing notes on 4 #TheVacantShopsAcademy locations: + Place 1 has all but halved a 25% vacancy rate in 18 months; + Another has
- [From 14% down to…?](https://prbi.co.uk/from-14-down-to/) - The national ‘shop’ vacancy rate is said to be 14%. And has been stuck around that number for some time. Can we get it into single figures…? Single figures. Does that seem wildly optimistic…? I ask the question as #placemaking colleagues are starting to post on what the new government’s approach on #highstreet might look
- [Education, education, education…](https://prbi.co.uk/education-education-education/) - We’ve focused a lot in recent weeks on what feels like the huge potential of arts & crafts, creative, culture, community, history & heritage, leisure, education, health and health & wellbeing as go-to options for places tackling #highstreet vacancy. They feel especially valuable for those with a strong shopping centre that tends to draw any
- [How to…](https://prbi.co.uk/how-to/) - So we’ve written a ‘how to’ guide to tackling #highstreet vacancy… …or at least an introduction to our ‘audit, engage, encourage, promote’ approach as we’ve run it or are underway in 33 #TheVacantShopsAcademy locations. Hopefully it’ll be helpful to town or city centres with empty unit rates in the mid / high teens or even
- [Arcade action plan…](https://prbi.co.uk/arcade-action-plan/) - I know a number of #highstreet placemaking colleagues are working with an arcade as part of their town or city centre project… …maybe influenced by its attractiveness as a destination, its #heritage status, the size of its units making it an ideal home for indie #retail and #hospitality, the roof which allows it to be
- [Street art, next gen…](https://prbi.co.uk/street-art-next-gen/) - Always enjoy our out & about time with #TheVacantShopsAcademy in Abertillery and Tredegar (and today also looking in on Brynmawr). Learned lots as ever with new #highstreet #placemaking projects to see (of which more in the next post). But struck this trip by one of our favourite features - #streetart, wall art and, across the
- [Look up…](https://prbi.co.uk/look-up/) - Wander your #highstreet in the late afternoon or early evening and look up. How many lights do you see on the upper floors…? Lots, hardly any…? Do the same a bit later just to check. Same result…? It’s not very scientific I know, but the idea is it gives you a quick test of what,
- [A tackling vacancy-focused ‘place partnership’. Why…?](https://prbi.co.uk/a-tackling-vacancy-focused-place-partnership-why/) - Tackling #highstreet vacancy. It’s not just “an agent-landlords thing”. Seriously it’s not. And having spent much of the week talking to #property colleagues in 8 of the locations we’re working, you can easily see that. If the vacancy rate in your town or city centre is in the high teens or even 20+ per cent,
- [Assignments - one of our trickier challenges…](https://prbi.co.uk/assignments-one-of-our-trickier-challenges/) - It’d be great to get some ideas from #highstreet #property agent and legal colleagues on the subject of ‘assignments’. With apologies to anyone who’s thinking the inner tackling vacancy geek in me has escaped (again…?). Assignment becomes a thing (in this case) where the tenant of a property leaves before its lease agreement with the
- [High Street Positives…](https://prbi.co.uk/high-street-positives/) - Morale and confidence and positivity are vitally important for the #highstreet. They impact resident enthusiasm for going into their town or city centres, decisions by existing businesses when their lease renewal comes up and of would-be new occupiers and their #property agents, plus the crucial choices made by potential inward-investor landlords and owners. But we
- [Lots to like in Rugby…](https://prbi.co.uk/lots-to-like-in-rugby/) - I may have said before how much I love to see #streetart when out and about on tackling #highstreet vacancy commissions with #TheVacantShopsAcademy. It’s especially the case when you happen across one unexpectedly and it’s sooooo vibrant. This we found looking right before crossing a road in the attractive market town that is Rugby in
- [Vacant not vacant…](https://prbi.co.uk/2366-2/) - How many of the visibly empty units in your town or city centre actually have a tenant still paying the rent…? It’s something we come across a lot on #TheVacantShopsAcademy tackling #highstreet vacancy commissions, and it’s typically one of the trickier issues to overcome. To explain. It means the tenant business or organisation left while
- [Let’s work together…](https://prbi.co.uk/lets-work-together/) - 🥊 Neighbouring towns. What are they…? Rivals…? Competing for customers…? Or. Could they work together…? 🤝 Highlight each other’s strengths where they’re different. Promote each other, campaign together and encourage their businesses and town centre organisations to do the same. It might be one has #history and #heritage buildings, a brilliant line up of #indie
- [Back to the future…?](https://prbi.co.uk/back-to-the-future/) - 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
- [Time to talk about clocks...](https://prbi.co.uk/time-to-talk-about-clocks/) - For reasons I cannot really understand I always like to see a clock when out & about with #TheVacantShopsAcademy on a tackling #highstreet vacancy commission or just visiting. Would be interested to hear if you have one or more on a commercial building in your town or city centre. 🔧 Do they work…? Are they
- [Can #streetart help tackle #highstreet vacancy…?](https://prbi.co.uk/can-streetart-help-tackle-highstreet-vacancy/) - 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 visit to High Wycombe just to see what’s changed there with incoming #retail and #hospitality
- [The Times they are a…? 🤞](https://prbi.co.uk/the-times-they-are-a-🤞/) - 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 street revival”, has a sub header: “Retailers are putting their faith in bricks & mortar
- [Railway town…](https://prbi.co.uk/railway-town/) - 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 - or indeed any other aspect of its history - and importantly, from our #TheVacantShopsAcademy
- [Alternative or better still, ‘additional uses’…](https://prbi.co.uk/alternative-or-better-still-additional-uses/) - 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 new #highstreet anchor. Could they help lead a revival in places where #retail and #hospitality
- [Everybody needs…](https://prbi.co.uk/everybody-needs/) - 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 where the #BID Brentwood Connected covers all three places, and joint / cross-promotion is part
- [Open in Crewe…?](https://prbi.co.uk/open-in-crewe/) - 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 & available units. 🎭 And for now the focus of that will be arts &
- [Mental Health & Wellbeing Hubs. On the #highstreet…?](https://prbi.co.uk/mental-health-wellbeing-hubs-on-the-highstreet/) - “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 units in our town and city centres. It’s part of a list that also features
- [Tackling vacancy-focused ‘place partnership’…](https://prbi.co.uk/tackling-vacancy-focused-place-partnership/) - 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, a town centre with lots to like… 🏛️ An attractive collection of heritage buildings; No
- [Vacancy tackled, here’s how…!](https://prbi.co.uk/vacancy-tackled-heres-how/) - 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 was host to our first tackling vacancy project from 2013. 📉 11 years ago now,
- [Why don’t we paint the benches…?](https://prbi.co.uk/why-dont-we-paint-the-benches/) - 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 measures related to the empty units themselves and more about #placemaking: street scene, furniture, #streetart,
- [4 new locations…](https://prbi.co.uk/4-new-locations/) - 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 - tho in each case this week it’s less about significant numbers of vacant units, and
- [Cooking up new policy ideas…?](https://prbi.co.uk/cooking-up-new-policy-ideas/) - “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.” 👨‍🍳 With apologies for all those who tuned in for a tackling #highstreet vacancy thread and
- [The ‘who…?’ of former department stores…](https://prbi.co.uk/the-who-of-former-department-stores/) - 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 heart of the issue in a number of recent locations to sign up to #TheVacantShopsAcademy
- [Step 1 for a new High Streets Minister…?](https://prbi.co.uk/step-1-for-a-new-high-streets-minister/) - 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 is for all the places with empty unit rates in the mid-high teens and especially
- [Play-ce making…!](https://prbi.co.uk/play-ce-making/) - 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 at Leamington Spa which, as the pictures show, is also one of the very well
- [Eight new Academy locations…](https://prbi.co.uk/eight-new-academy-locations/) - Excited to be heading out this week to visit the first of 8 new locations we’ll be delivering #TheVacantShopsAcademy tackling #highstreet vacancy approach. 8️⃣ They’re a mix of town centres with headline empty shops rates in the mid-teens and those with smaller numbers but some tricky long-time vacants the local teams are keen to get
- [1.5 tonnes of CO2 saved…](https://prbi.co.uk/1-5-tonnes-of-co2-saved/) - Two years on. Picking up a journeys thread from our good #highstreet #placemaking friend Chris Wade FIPM at People, Places & Parking Process on the theme of sustainable travel. Having committed to travelling by train to #TheVacantShopsAcademy locations wherever possible, it was interesting to see the App stats on the second anniversary of our first
- [Regenerating our city…](https://prbi.co.uk/regenerating-our-city/) - Learned a huge amount from an enjoyable and insightful #placemaking out & about in Gloucester. A city with sooooo much happening in its different segments. Among them: The pioneering University of Gloucestershire repurposing of the sizeable former Debenhams store, being closely watched by many places with similar buildings, and an important part of our wider
- [Power to rent… (postponed…?)](https://prbi.co.uk/power-to-rent-postponed/) - So it’s looking like the new powers to allow local authorities to ‘force’ an auction to rent long-time empty #highstreet units won’t be available ‘this summer’ as planned. Was your place hoping to make use of High Street Rental Auctions…? 🤔 If you were, what now…? Wait. Or press on with tackling vacancy work anyways…?
- [Split them. Part Two…](https://prbi.co.uk/split-them-part-two/) - We often talk in #TheVacantShopsAcademy ‘next steps’ narrative for the places we’re commissioned, and on here, about splitting vacant units as a route to getting them re-occupied. 🪜That can be dividing large ground floor, often ex-department store, units into smaller spaces to match demand from #indie #retail and #hospitality businesses. Or hiving off upper floors
- [A new £25m funding programme…?](https://prbi.co.uk/a-new-25m-funding-programme/) - Just imagine how much #highstreet impact this would have…! 🗝️ “A new £25m funding programme for centres with above average vacancy rate, to focus on bringing empties back into use.” That’s one of two ‘Vacant to Vibrant’ recommendations in a just-published Manifesto for towns and cities from The BID Foundation called #PlacesForEveryone. 🤔 The national
- [Had a brilliant day…](https://prbi.co.uk/had-a-brilliant-day/) - We’re really lucky with #TheVacantShopsAcademy to be working with a number of #BID managers on tackling #highstreet vacancy challenges (with more just joining)… 🎤 …but it was interesting and inspiring to sit quietly (for me) at the back of the room for The BID Foundation #PlacesForEveryone event, and hear presenters and panellists talk about the
- [A Cathedral City…](https://prbi.co.uk/a-cathedral-city/) - What makes you visit a place… …and importantly, return time and time again, and encourage others to do so. Thinking this while out & about #highstreet #placemaking with #TheVacantShopsAcademy in the lovely Cathedral City of Ripon. So factors…? Maybe. 🛍️ Attractive #indie #retail and #hospitality streets; History & heritage buildings; A neatly re-purposed bank (I
- [“Probably the loveliest town in England.“](https://prbi.co.uk/probably-the-loveliest-town-in-england/) - 🤔 Who said that about where…? While you’re thinking (if you have to), I’ll say it made for a very enjoyable and insightful #highstreet #placemaking out & about with #TheVacantShopsAcademy. Just visiting in this case. And found lots to like: history & heritage buildings, gardens, arts & crafts and an awesome group of #indie #retail
- [Banking on new uses…?](https://prbi.co.uk/banking-on-new-uses/) - “Problem is two of the empty units we have are ex-banks.” It’s something I heard again this week while out & about with #TheVacantShopsAcademy, and is a regular challenge places face. 🤔 Why…? Often the size, frontage, layout don’t suit alternative #highstreet uses; They’re in #heritage buildings with added requirements to get them back into
- [‘Next Steps’…!](https://prbi.co.uk/next-steps/) - Insightful and enjoyable day with Louise Welsby and the team at Buy-From this week. 🚈 After two and a half years of tackling #highstreet vacancy projects for #TheVacantShopsAcademy, it’s really helpful to take time to stand back, reflect on the journey so far and talk thru the best way forward. 🗝️ It’s been great to
- [High Street Rental Auctions update, May 2024…](https://prbi.co.uk/high-street-rental-auctions-update-may-2024/) - A useful addition to the tackling #highstreet vacancy toolkit or unnecessary and unworkable. ⚖️ The incoming High Street Rental Auctions power for local councils has certainly divided opinion amongst #property and #placemaking colleagues. 🤔 What do you think…? This is how the update this week read: “New powers for communities to regenerate high streets and
- [A fun, safe place to play…](https://prbi.co.uk/a-fun-safe-place-to-play/) - One of the (many) joys of #highstreet #placemaking is finding projects that are making a real difference in their communities, and in these cases making great use of difficult to let vacant units. As part of an all round enjoyable and insightful out & about in the city of Exeter (of which more later), I
- [A #highstreet #Evolving…](https://prbi.co.uk/a-highstreet-evolving/) - 🏗️ There’s always something changing to see on a #placemaking out & about in #Oxford. Not to ‘audit, engage’ as I did in city centre management days there, but just to walk-see out of interest. 🛌 What was #retail repurposed to hotel; Retail & services (uppers) converted to office; Retail switch to #hospitality; 📚 And
- [Go Aberdeen…!](https://prbi.co.uk/go-aberdeen/) - An exciting and inspiring update this week from the tackling #highstreet vacancy-focused initiative on Union Street, Aberdeen. 💡 It’s a brilliant illustration of what can be achieved when a place - #property agents, landlords, businesses, community, council, BID, chamber - work together on this… 📉 …and hopefully will convince more places that empty units in
- [Out & about in Banbury…](https://prbi.co.uk/out-about-in-banbury/) - Never go back. It’s a saying I think. And something everyone will have their own view of. 🤔 In #highstreet #placemaking and especially tackling vacancy, it’s always a good thing. To go back and see what’s changed and changing (and what’s not). So to Banbury, a place I was part of a part-time #townteam (2014-18),
- [What would you put in that vacant unit…?](https://prbi.co.uk/what-would-you-put-in-that-vacant-unit/) - What type of businesses would you most like to see take on vacant units in your town centre…? 🤔 It’s a question we ask a lot on #TheVacantShopsAcademy commissions because it’s important. What would your residents ask for and support. What might existing businesses value most as neighbours. 🛍️ Answers we’ve had of late include:
- [Not tackling vacancy…? Why…?](https://prbi.co.uk/not-tackling-vacancy-why/) - 🤔 So why - I was asked this week - are more places not working on reducing the number of empty shops they have…? Varying reasons. Other priorities; Lack of capacity, skills, resources, funding; 💷 Preference for the ‘masterplanning’ route or focusing on a few ‘big ticket’ projects hoping they will fix the whole vacancy
- [Halving your vacancy rate…?](https://prbi.co.uk/halving-your-vacancy-rate/) - There’s a really striking #highstreet statistic in the latest update about Union Street, Aberdeen. 📉 It says that the headline vacancy number there which had empty units totalling in the mid-40s at the end of 2022 is now in the 30s and potentially into the 20s - halved…? - by the end of this letting
- [A National Highstreet Service…?](https://prbi.co.uk/a-national-highstreet-service/) - Could health & wellbeing be a new anchor for the #highstreet…? It’s one of our list of ‘alternative uses’ to add to #retail, #hospitality and services that we encourage #TheVacantShopsAcademy locations to target as part of their tackling vacancy ‘next steps’. 🎨 The full list also features arts & crafts, creative, culture, community, leisure, education.
- [Empty buildings, alternative uses…](https://prbi.co.uk/empty-buildings-alternative-uses/) - Arts & crafts, creative, culture, community, leisure, education, health & wellbeing. 🔑 A list of ‘alternative uses’ that could occupy vacant #highstreet units alongside #retail, #hospitality, services and (hopefully more for upper floors) office or residential. All of them feature in our ‘next steps’ narrative suggestions as potential targets for locations we’re working with #TheVacantShopsAcademy.
- [Academy locations taking ‘next steps’…](https://prbi.co.uk/academy-locations-taking-next-steps/) - Three encouraging pieces of news this week from #highstreet locations we’re working with #TheVacantShopsAcademy. First from Aberdeen where the city council has “committed a further £500,000 to the Union Street Empty Shops Grant Scheme – bringing the total investment up to £1 million – given the level of interest.” 🪜 “The initiative, which launched in
- [Every Single One.](https://prbi.co.uk/every-single-one/) - Our approach to tackling #highstreet vacancy is to focus on each visibly empty unit in turn… Is it genuinely empty & available; 💷 Is the previous occupier in administration or still paying rent; Is a commercial #property agent marketing it; 🪜 Is it a demolition or refurb project; Is it under offer; Are upper floors
- [Are there lights on…?](https://prbi.co.uk/are-there-lights-on/) - 💡 If you wander your #highstreet in the early evening dusk and stay on later, are there signs on your upper floors of office teams at work or of town or city centre living…? If not, is there un- and under-used space you could be making more of…? 🔐 If the answer’s yes, could it
- [So what goes in your #HighstreetsManifesto…?](https://prbi.co.uk/so-what-goes-in-your-highstreetsmanifesto/) - 🔟 Maybe, to no-one’s great surprise, my starter for 10 would be on vacancy. If we’re only allowed 1, then one of these…? Ask (and resource) every local authority to report on #highstreet vacancy numbers and work with agents, landlords, businesses, community and BID where there is one to overcome barriers to let to include…
- [Tredegar, Aberdeen, Totally Locally….](https://prbi.co.uk/tredegar-aberdeen-totally-locally/) - Some week that was… …and it’s why I love this job…! 💡 Three things, connected in a way and all of which taught us a lot. Our 2nd visit to the historic town of Tredegar; Hearing that we’re to work together with the team at Aberdeen Inspired again… And, a bit later than planned, starting
- [Academy to lead ‘upper floors’ study for Aberdeen](https://prbi.co.uk/academy-to-lead-upper-floors-study-for-aberdeen/) - A new drive to breathe fresh life into the upper floors of Union Street buildings is being launched by Aberdeen Inspired to help the ongoing campaign to regenerate the Granite Mile. The city centre Business Improvement District will commission a feasibility study to create a snapshot of how many of the floors above street level are unused or underused
- [“Long live the branch…”](https://prbi.co.uk/long-live-the-branch/) - “We are opening branches, not closing them.” 💡 A brilliant, insightful day at the building societies conference, and a great chance to present on the importance to our places of ‘banking services’, and the buildings they are and have been in. Image thanks to Zoe Campbell Photography Learned a huge amount to take to the
- [Banking on new solutions…](https://prbi.co.uk/banking-on-new-solutions/) - Has the last bank left your town centre…? Are you down to just one…? 🤔 What’s the impact…? And if you’ve had #highstreet #bank closures what’s happening to the buildings….? Are they sitting long-time empty or back in (alternative) use…? 🎤 Looking forward to talking through all these issues at an “Invigorating the Community” building
- [“It’s such a great town centre…!”](https://prbi.co.uk/its-such-a-great-town-centre/) - 🤳🏽 …the message I sent to a friend and local champion for the place of my first #highstreet out & about visit of 2024. And it is in many ways, as the set of images below shows - just a sample of those I could’ve used to illustrate its positives. 🛍️ New openings, brand and
- [“The 39 stops…”](https://prbi.co.uk/the-39-stops/) - 🎥 …to borrow and adjust an old movie title. That’s how many places we visited with #TheVacantShopsAcademy in 2023, racking up what our app reckons is a decent CO2 saving. 🤔 Where next…? The majority of those visits were on tackling #highstreet empty shops issues commissions, plus others to catch up with #property & #placemaking
- [Let’s go…](https://prbi.co.uk/lets-go/) - It feels like a huge year ahead for the #highstreet… 🤔 …what do you think…? From a #TheVacantShopsAcademy perspective it’s one we very much hope will see more places - councils or BIDs where there is one or a combination of the two - recognising just how much difference they can make in tackling vacancy,
- [Why ‘audit, engage’…? Here’s why…!](https://prbi.co.uk/why-audit-engage-heres-why/) - So how are you going about tackling empty shops issues in your town or city centre…? 🤔 Do you need to demolish…? Will some have to be re-purposed to resi or office…? Maybe. Or might they re-let…? 🚈 We had (yet) another illustration of how the picture can change even in a short space of
- [#STC23](https://prbi.co.uk/stc23/) - Wellbeing.” “Living Well Locally.” “People, place, planet.” 🤔 Which words and phrases do you most relate to our work in towns and city centres…? 💭 If we’d done a ‘word cloud’ of the early sessions of the 2023 Scotland's Towns Partnership conference in Dundee, those would be some of the ones to feature. It was
- [Bright Sparks…](https://prbi.co.uk/bright-sparks/) - Do you still have a large former-department store sitting empty in your #highstreet place…? 🤔 Are the discussions rolling on about re-purposing, future uses, splitting up, conversion…? Meanwhile you’ve a big, deteriorating, wasted space creating negativity, when instead…? Meanwhile…! ✨ I was lucky enough to make a long overdue visit to the brilliant Sparks Bristol
- [Every picture…](https://prbi.co.uk/every-picture/) - Here’s a first, I think 🤔 🤳🏽 Out & about in a #highstreet location and got back with just one picture of a vacant unit in my phone library. …and it’s not that there weren’t any others. 🎨 It was just that in Bedminster, Bristol our #placemaking attention was totally taken with the number and
- [A place agent…?](https://prbi.co.uk/a-place-agent/) - Should a #highstreet place, a town or city centre, have its own commercial agent…? …like an individual empty unit has but for all the vacants in that location. 🤔 It’d be interesting to hear what #property and #placemaking colleagues think…? The idea would be that: they support the agents with individual properties listed but take
- [Reasons to be…](https://prbi.co.uk/reasons-to-be/) - “What reasons are there for optimism about our high streets…?” 🎤 It’s a question I was asked at a panel event this week, and every day since we’ve seen examples from different places that well illustrate my answer. You could include in that just from recent threads I’ve seen: the ongoing ‘Our Union Street’ initiative
- [A platform shared…](https://prbi.co.uk/a-platform-shared/) - Two brilliant #placemaking case studies. The Oxford Road Stories. Hat District. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Thank you Reading, Luton. Often on these threads we talk about arts & crafts, creative, culture, community, history, heritage as part of the ‘next steps’ narrative for town & city centres tackling #highstreet empty shops issues with #TheVacantShopsAcademy, as potential use type options
- [It’s Evolving. Isn’t it…?](https://prbi.co.uk/its-evolving-isnt-it/) - 🤔 What do you think…? Rarely a week goes by it seems without some ‘analyst’ or other trying to secure themselves media coverage with a cheap ‘death of the…’ shot at the #highstreet. This week was no exception…and the ‘study’ was, as ever, littered with nonsense. 📸 I’m lucky enough to have #Oxford city centre
- [Feel very lucky…](https://prbi.co.uk/feel-very-lucky/) - …to have the opportunity to be starting work with two special towns. 🤳🏽 Running the ‘audit, engage’ phase of our #TheVacantShopsAcademy approach in Abertillery and Tredegar for Blaenau Gwent Council, but reflections on a first visit were about the strengths that this focus on the #highstreet of each has to draw on. 🎞️ Awesome, must-visit
- [Vacancy. From 23 to 3 in 18 months…](https://prbi.co.uk/vacancy-from-23-to-3-in-18-months/) - This brings back memories. 🪜Just 10 years ago when our sign went up over the #popupshop which was to play a significant part in the revival of a street and with it the whole town centre. 📉 Flashop Wantage, the community space which soon opened opposite and a second pop up across town together helped
- [Our Union Street](https://prbi.co.uk/our-union-street/) - “Together, as a community, we can…” “…we want to brighten the street, fill the units, use the space, tell the stories which lie behind our famous granite walls, and fully engage the people of Aberdeen in this urban revival. And we are already taking steps to meet these objectives.” 👏🏻 Great to read the latest
- [Are your vacancy numbers what they seem…?](https://prbi.co.uk/are-your-vacancy-numbers-what-they-seem/) - It’s happened again. 📉 Third time in recent weeks we’ve shared the ‘audit, engage’ data for one of our #TheVacantShopsAcademy locations and shown a different picture emerging than the one from our first walk-see there. The number of #highstreet units in this location listed as ‘empty and available’ is one third lower than the original
- [Do we need to build more #highstreet shops…?](https://prbi.co.uk/do-we-need-to-build-more-highstreet-shops/) - … or at least create more spaces for them.🛍️ And do we need re-adjust the regulations to help #retail…? No wait. Before you start to wonder if I’ve had too much of the holiday rum & raisin ice cream🍦 The questions are sparked by a series of comments from #property and #placemaking colleagues which I’ve
- [Something’s happening somewhere…](https://prbi.co.uk/somethings-happening-somewhere/) - “Our town has a third fewer vacancies than it did in the spring.” “Wow. Actually, so has ours…!” What about yours…? 🤔 Just two towns reflecting on how the numbers have changed between the dates of our #TheVacantShopsAcademy walk-see in late spring and a summer return visit. Here are those numbers. 🧮 “11 of the
- [Aaaaaarrrrrggggh…! 🤬](https://prbi.co.uk/aaaaaarrrrrggggh-🤬/) - #placemaking friends had to endure a bit of a ranting me this week as (yet) another national ‘death of the #highstreet’ headline disrupted one of my timelines. It was especially maddening because I read it while I was in Sunderland on what was an enjoyable, insightful and encouraging out & about for #TheVacantShopsAcademy. What I
- [Are we missing a #highstreet story here…?](https://prbi.co.uk/are-we-missing-a-highstreet-story-here/) - 🔑 New openings, fresh investment, promising pipeline. I ask having been out & about for #TheVacantShopsAcademy in another location - the second in a few weeks - where the headline ‘visibly vacant’ number now looks very different having run ‘audit, engage’ with #property agents to establish the actual status and backstory of those units that
- [Business Rates Avoidance and Evasion: a consultation](https://prbi.co.uk/business-rates-avoidance-and-evasion-a-consultation/) - Are flaws in the business rates reliefs system contributing to #highstreet units staying vacant longer than needs be…? What changes would #placemaking and #property colleagues like to see based on your learning on the ground…? 🤔 The government has a consultation underway called “Business Rates Avoidance and Evasion”, based on this statement: “…there is a
- [Let…!](https://prbi.co.uk/let/) - Thought it might be of interest to share a digest of some of the emails we’ve had from #highstreet #property agents in the last week. “Hi Iain we sold the property to an owner occupier a few months ago and they opened their new shop last week.” “17 is now let, a new Tenant has
- [Is that ‘empty’ shop actually vacant…? Or…?](https://prbi.co.uk/is-that-empty-shop-actually-vacant-or/) - As promised, here’s an early data output from one of the locations we’re running ‘audit, engage’ as part of a tackling empty #highstreet shops issues project which, hopefully, you’ll find is food for thought… Our town centre walk-see there in the spring showed 29 visibly vacant units. But checking in with #property agents and landlords
- [Evolving not…? Part 2](https://prbi.co.uk/evolving-not-part-2/) - So here’s some #highstreet #property stories you may not be seeing in the headlines…? National #retail brands finding it difficult to secure new stores because of limited options in target towns and city centres; Commercial agents running a bidding process on properties because of the level of interest; The competitive rush we’re seeing to snap
- [Evolving not…?](https://prbi.co.uk/evolving-not/) - “Report confirms stats on death of the high street”, ran the headline. One of a frustrating timelines-filling set this week. Thing is tho the stats it set out do nothing of the sort…! We’ve been trying to unravel from quite sparse detail on the methodology what they do tell us. We think that the given
- [So what’s all this got to do with empty shops then…?](https://prbi.co.uk/so-whats-all-this-got-to-do-with-empty-shops-then/) - More than half the ‘next steps’ narrative suggestions in our #TheVacantShopsAcademy reports for places we’re supporting to tackle vacancy are less directly about the empties themselves and more around wider #highstreet #placemaking. Very often that’s included ways to bring more arts & crafts, creative, culture and community into the town or city centre, including popupshop
- [Is your headline vacancy rate giving you the right answer…?](https://prbi.co.uk/is-your-headline-vacancy-rate-giving-you-the-right-answer/) - Encouraging return visit to Chepstow to check in on the units that looked to be vacant in our ‘audit’ walk-see there earlier in the year, and build on the insights from #property agents in the ‘engage’ phase. A number of them already have new #retail or #hospitality occupiers in business - a mix of indie
- [Alternative #highstreet uses…?](https://prbi.co.uk/alternative-highstreet-uses/) - There’s much conversation when we get to the 3rd - ‘encourage’ - phase of our approach to tackling empty shops issues, about the different types of businesses and organisations we might try attract as a place to fill vacant units. My summary list typically features: arts & crafts, culture, creative, community, leisure, education, health &
- [More than retail…!](https://prbi.co.uk/more-than-retail/) - Can existing #retail and #hospitality businesses play a part in helping their #highstreet place tackle vacancy…? It was a question I was asked at a meeting of business owners and managers in the very lovely town of Henley-on-Thames. And the answer is 100% yes they can. This is one of the towns with only a
- [Out & about in Poole…](https://prbi.co.uk/out-about-in-poole/) - What positives do you take away from a #highstreet #placemaking visit to one of our town or city centres…? Street art, the floral displays, the attractive buildings, its natural and heritage attractions, a strong mix of #indie #retail, #hospitality and services businesses, high profile national brand additions, the partnership working…? Much to choose from on
- [Is it “just an agents-landlord thing”…?](https://prbi.co.uk/is-it-just-an-agents-landlord-thing/) - So how many of those visibly vacant units in your place are being proactively marketed…? We’ve just run some data based on current #TheVacantShopsAcademy commissions, and wonder how many #highstreet #property and #placemaking colleagues might be surprised. Feel free to take a guess before you get to the line with the numbers. It feels important
- [High Street Rental Auctions](https://prbi.co.uk/high-street-rental-auctions/) - What’s your view on this incoming “…new power for local authorities to require landlords to rent out persistently vacant commercial properties to new tenants, such as local businesses or community groups.” Have you taken part in the .gov technical consultation…? It’s been a kinda theme for me of late as The Institute of Place Management
- [Arrival points and your walk to the ‘shops’…](https://prbi.co.uk/arrival-points-and-your-walk-to-the-shops/) - Maybe something we don’t talk about enough in #highstreet #placemaking is the welcome at our town centre arrival points - whether that be by rail, bus, car, bike on foot or other means - and the impact on us of the journey from there to the ‘shops’. Whether that’s the views, buildings, wayfinding, or activation
- [So what’s happening on those upper floors…?](https://prbi.co.uk/so-whats-happening-on-those-upper-floors/) - Office, resi, #retail (rarely now), #hospitality or leisure, storage or nothing at all…? Are we under-using or totally wasting space that could bring in valuable extra uses and potentially additional customers for town or city centre businesses…? Are the uppers a barrier that’s holding up lettings opportunities for the ground floor…? Are they all peeling
- [Out & about in Sunderland](https://prbi.co.uk/out-about-in-sunderland/) - Very enjoyable first full #placemaking day out & about in the city of Sunderland for #TheVacantShopsAcademy. As ever focusing on current #highstreet #retail, #hospitality and services mix, and opportunities to add to that, but taking time too to see how the variety of awesome historic and #heritage buildings here play their part…!
- [Out & about North Yorkshire](https://prbi.co.uk/out-about-north-yorkshire/) - A very enjoyable #highstreet #placemaking out & about across two days in Richmond and Leyburn, North Yorkshire, a stunning part of the world and very well worth a visit. Much food for thought too… …including returning to the thread of an earlier conversation about the best ways to connect a town’s #retail and #hospitality offer
- [Trickier repurposing, re-let challenges…](https://prbi.co.uk/trickier-repurposing-re-let-challenges/) - So, what are we thinking for the trickier of our former #highstreet #retail bank units, especially those in multi-floor and #heritage buildings…? Returned to the theme on an out & about in Richmond and Leyburn, North Yorkshire which both have examples of repurposing as well as opportunities to bring others like them back into play.
- [Under Offer…?](https://prbi.co.uk/under-offer/) - There was a valuable insight this week in a longer agent’s post about new #highstreet lettings which again illustrates that the picture can change significantly if you drill down beyond the headline vacancy numbers and how things appear if you simply rely on a place walk-see. As it was about a city I visit often
- [“…all those tiny details”](https://prbi.co.uk/all-those-tiny-details/) - What does #placemaking mean for you…? Signage…? A reflection and appreciation of your history and heritage, greenery (or whatever the purple version of that is…?), arts & crafts, creativity, activation, innovation…? All of these and more…? Intriguing to capture some of these elements on a #highstreet out & about with #TheVacantShopsAcademy in Oxford city centre.
- [Learning from our parks…?](https://prbi.co.uk/learning-from-our-parks/) - Time spent in the park on a tackling #highstreet empty shops commission ‘audit’ day is just sitting down on the job, right…? Well, we did that, but it’s thought-provoking also. What lessons from the way the park is looked after and signed and promoted are there for the ‘town centre’…? As it’s just a short
- [Why knowing the story behind your vacancy count “can make a huge difference”](https://prbi.co.uk/why-knowing-the-story-behind-your-vacancy-count-can-make-a-huge-difference/) - So what’s your town or city centre’s real vacancy rate…? It’s a question sparked this week by finalising Initial Data Reports listing the units that look empty for 3 #highstreet locations after running #TheVacantShopsAcademy ‘audit’ there. Next step is to ‘engage’ with #property agents, landlords and businesses to understand the backstory of the ‘empties’ and
- [Market Hall Days](https://prbi.co.uk/market-hall-days/) - There’s much conversation in #placemaking about the role of #markets and especially indoor versions in #highstreet regeneration, and it’s been a feature of a number of recent out & about visits and ‘audit, engage’ work with #TheVacantShopsAcademy. What are the factors in the success of the market halls we’ve seen…?Is it part of the solution
- [Out & About Abergavenny](https://prbi.co.uk/out-about-abergavenny/) - Third town centre out & about in ten days took me for the first time to the attractive place that is Abergavenny, just for a look-see in this case rather than a #TheVacantShopsAcademy ‘audit’. Reflecting on these recent three, and much of the conversation about whether a town needs a USP, if it can have
- [Out & About Monmouth](https://prbi.co.uk/out-about-monmouth/) - History & heritage. #highstreet. Out & about in Monmouth with #TheVacantShopsAcademy and thinking - not for the first time in a place - about how those two elements work together. There’s sometimes a perspective that the first is for visitors, the other for residents, that there is little or no cross over, and even that
- [Out & About Chepstow](https://prbi.co.uk/out-about-chepstow/) - Really enjoyable #highstreet #placemaking out & about in Chepstow. A town with awesome visitor attractions, a mix of #indie and national brand #retail, #hospitality and services, encouraging evidence of new investment, and signs all around the town centre that it recognises and remembers important features of its past. Lots to like, and looking forward to
- [And our next speaker is…](https://prbi.co.uk/and-our-next-speaker-is/) - Really enjoyable time at the Warwickshire Towns Network #placemaking conference in Warwick, with chance to be out & about in an attractive, largely #indie, heritage town centre. An opportunity also to share #TheVacantShopsAcademy ‘audit, engage, encourage, promote’ approach to tackling #highstreet empty shops issues, and to hear the practical challenges councils, BIDs and businesses are
- [Out & About South Gloucestershire Pt2](https://prbi.co.uk/out-about-south-gloucestershire-pt2/) - Day 2 of our #TheVacantShopsAcademy out & about running ‘audit, engage’ in 8 South Gloucestershire #highstreet locations - Kingswood and Hanham this time - and picking up the theme of uses mix in a place. Interesting to see some of the newer (or in some cases new old) use types alongside the established and traditional
- [Out & About South Gloucestershire](https://prbi.co.uk/out-about-south-gloucestershire/) - First of a series of out & about days in South Gloucestershire #highstreet locations. Downend and Staple Hill first and a real strong sense of their #indie #retail and #hospitality group, mixing the new with established, traditional with of today. It’s a valuable part of our ‘audit, engage, encourage, promote’ approach to tackling empty shops
- [Out & About Reading](https://prbi.co.uk/out-about-reading/) - Hugely enjoyable #highstreet #placemaking out & about in Reading town centre this week. It’s a place that mixes history and heritage, #retail, #hospitality & more, national brands and a strong #indie group, some of them very long-established. It also has a set of really interesting and varying #property opportunities for businesses and organisations keen to
- [Variety is…](https://prbi.co.uk/variety-is/) - One of the things that makes tackling #highstreet empty shops issues commissions sooooooo interesting and inspiring is the variety. In a single #TheVacantShopsAcademy day out & about this week… New lettings taking shape, the first signs of refurbishment getting underway on a long-time empty #property, a craft-based #hospitality #indie planning a town-wide collaboration of like-minded
- [3 new commissions for The Vacant Shops Academy](https://prbi.co.uk/3-new-commissions-for-the-vacant-shops-academy/) - Thrilled to say that 3 more organisations (with 11 #highstreet locations in-scope between them) have signed to run the ‘audit, engage’ elements of #TheVacantShopsAcademy approach to tackling empty shops issues. It’s really good to have new places keen to understand the back story of their vacant units and the barriers to getting them let as
- [What next for ex-bank #highstreet units…?](https://prbi.co.uk/what-next-for-ex-bank-highstreet-units/) - Another week, one more list of incoming #highstreet finance sector closures. Another town, and more conversations about the role the place could play in getting ex- #retail bank or building society units back into use. It’s a regular recommendation in our #TheVacantShopsAcademy ‘next step’ reports to places we’re working with on tackling empty shops issues
- [Out & About Henley](https://prbi.co.uk/out-about-henley/) - Really enjoyed being out & about in Henley again. Just so much to see and learn and think about from a #highstreet #placemaking perspective, and always very well worth a visit… Stunning riverside scenes, and a significant draw for rowing, regatta, relaxing, running a business;History, heritage and a wealth of stories street by street;A strong
- [Oxford City Council has issued pavement licences to nearly 100 hospitality businesses](https://prbi.co.uk/oxford-city-council-has-issued-pavement-licences-to-nearly-100-hospitality-businesses/) - Oxford City Council has issued 93 licences to hospitality businesses, an almost ten-fold increase from the previous year. The Business and Planning Act, which was passed in July 2020, introduced temporary provisions to fast-track a process to enable hospitality businesses to reopen after the coronavirus lockdown. Over the last year, the City Council has been
- [Oxford city centre vacant unit numbers fall](https://prbi.co.uk/oxford-city-centre-vacant-unit-numbers-fall/) - The number of vacant units in Oxford city centre looks set for a significant fall according to new figures from Oxford City Council. The Council is working with landlords and agents on a city centre vacant units project, which started with an updated audit of those currently empty. Landlords and agents with vacant units were
- [New city council empty units initiative](https://prbi.co.uk/new-city-council-empty-units-initiative/) - Business and organisations from across Oxford are working with the City Council on an initiative to bring empty units back into use more quickly. Representatives of more than 30 local business and organisations – including those with experience or interest in retail, food & beverage, culture, co-working and more – have been invited to put
- [Mayor “really impressed” with festive windows efforts](https://prbi.co.uk/mayor-really-impressed-with-festive-windows-efforts/) - The festive windows at Books & Ink Bookshop in Banbury town centre’s White Lion Walk are a Winter Challenge Winner! Banbury’s Business Improvement District (BID) invited the Mayor of Banbury, Cllr Shaida Hussain, to judge the festive window dressing skills of town centre businesses, both national and independent. After a 47-stop visit with BID Town
- [A BID push for a successful winter in Banbury town centre](https://prbi.co.uk/a-bid-push-for-a-successful-winter-in-banbury-town-centre/) - Banbury Business Improvement District (BID) has taken over three empty windows in the town centre as part of its work to improve the look of vacant units while efforts continue to get them let. Interim Manager for Banbury BID, Iain Nicholson, said: “One of the brilliant features of our town centre is the talent for
- [An alternative town centre support model](https://prbi.co.uk/scoping-an-alternative-town-centre-support-model/) - In June 2018 we began to scope the possibility of an alternative way to deliver the best of the #townteam model of support for town centres. The aim is to try build a model that would work for town centres that have never had a #townteam or town partnership or #BID, or had one but
- [#MoreThanRetail](https://prbi.co.uk/morethanretail/) - A follow on to our town team submission to #GrimseyReview2 on the two elements of what we call #MoreThanRetail: using vacant town centre ‘shop’ space creatively and building skills and interest in the community. This is a thread with two elements that’ve been part of the work of town teams in Oxfordshire. The first is
- [Grimsey Review 2: a #townteam guy perspective](https://prbi.co.uk/grimsey-review-2-a-townteam-guy-perspective/) - On Wednesday July 4th Grimsey Review 2 was published. As a contribution to the debate we share here the submission we made to the review based on our #townteam experience and our connections with town centres and place management colleagues around the country. So here’s a list of potential ‘case study’ projects and initiatives we
- [The art of a successful pop up: town centre Gallery takes its next big step](https://prbi.co.uk/the-art-of-a-successful-pop-up-banbury-town-centre-gallery-takes-its-next-big-step/) - The team behind Banbury town centre’s popular Church Lane Art Gallery have taken another big step towards securing its longer-term future. The 32-member Banbury Artists’ Co-operative, which runs the Gallery, have taken on a one-year licence to occupy the Church Lane unit, so extending its stay there until at least April 2019. The Gallery first
- [Banbury BID initiative to bring three long-empty Castle Quay shopping centre units back into use](https://prbi.co.uk/banbury-bid-initiative-to-bring-three-long-empty-castle-quay-shopping-centre-units-back-into-use/) - Three long-empty shop units in Castle Quay shopping centre are being brought back into use, thanks to an early project initiative by the new Banbury Business Improvement District (BID). The BID has taken a six-month licence to occupy the three units at the Market Place end of Castle Quay alongside The Entertainer, on a
- [Banbury Events images bring old town centre toy shop window to life](https://prbi.co.uk/banbury-events-images-bring-old-town-centre-toy-shop-window-to-life/) - The windows of an empty Banbury town centre shop have been turned into a showcase for a photographic exhibition capturing the colour, fun and vibrancy of Banbury events. 50 images taken by local photographer Neil Simmons of Modern Parlance Photos, have been curated as an exhibition in the window of the first former Trinder’s toy
- [Leading independent retailer to extend 27-year stay in Bicester as it signs up for new, bigger shop](https://prbi.co.uk/leading-independent-retailer-to-extend-27-year-stay-in-bicester-as-it-signs-up-for-new-bigger-shop/) - Expansion welcomed by senior councillor as a “real commitment to Bicester town centre” One of Bicester’s leading and longest-established independent retailers has made a big commitment to the town centre by signing up to a new long-term lease in a bigger shop unit. Coles Books will move to a new unit in Crown Walk in
- [Art Group brighten Wantage shop front in town team initiative](https://prbi.co.uk/art-group-brighten-wantage-shop-front-in-town-team-initiative/) - The whitewash paint has gone. Now the windows of a prominent empty unit in Wantage town centre features the work of a group of local artists. It’s the latest initiative by Wantage Town Team as part of their work to improve the look of empty town centre units while work to sell or let them
- [Exciting new shop opening in Abingdon](https://prbi.co.uk/exciting-new-shop-opening-in-abingdon/) - Oxford Etsy will be opening their first ever pop-up shop in Bury Street, Abingdon on 4 November. The success comes after the Vale of White Horse District Council’s recently launched Independent Shops Project - an initiative which enlisted the help of town centre specialist, Iain Nicholson. The Oxford Etsy team, set up by Christina O’Hare,
- [Your favourite Wantage and Grove businesses? Vote for them!](https://prbi.co.uk/your-favourite-wantage-and-grove-businesses-vote-for-them/) - Which Wantage or Grove business gives exceptional customer service? Which is your favourite Wantage or Grove restaurant and pub? And which Wantage town centre business has a shop front to be proud of? It’s time for people living in and around Wantage and Grove to have their say in the Local Business Awards. The now
- [Banbury Town Centre, the indi-er, the busier](https://prbi.co.uk/banbury-town-centre-the-indi-er-the-busier/) - More independent shops are filling Banbury town centre, boosting its reputation as an indie shopping destination whilst reducing the number of empty units. Cherwell District Council and its town team coordinators are working with landlords and agents to help overcome the barriers to empty units being let. While the town centre is being promoted as
- [‘Then and Now’ Images of Wantage shops spark memories](https://prbi.co.uk/then-and-now-images-of-wantage-shops-spark-memories/) - Memories of Wantage shops, their owners and staff, and what they sold have been sparked by a collection of photographs being displayed at Vale & Downland Museum and online. Called ‘Then & Now: Wantage through the years - a collection of photos from past and present’, the collection features 28 old photographs showing town centre
- [‘Shoptober’ highlight for Banbury town centre independent shops & cafes](https://prbi.co.uk/shoptober-highlight-for-banbury-town-centre-independent-shops-cafes/) - October will be ‘Shoptober’ for independent shops and cafes in Banbury town centre, as a social media campaign to highlight the town’s locally-owned businesses returns after a successful pilot in 2016. The Cherwell District Council-funded Banbury town team will lead the ‘Shoptober’ campaign, which promotes independent shops and cafes via the social media platform Twitter
- [New indie shops scheme to boost Abingdon town centre](https://prbi.co.uk/new-indie-shops-scheme-to-boost-abingdon-town-centre/) - A scheme aimed at attracting independent shops to Abingdon, supporting existing retailers and increasing town centre vitality, is set be introduced in the town centre this summer. Vale of White Horse District Council is launching the Independent Shops Project which will see key partners working with the council to develop initiatives to support independent businesses
- [It’s Wantage Neverland as shops host Peter Pan prize draw trail](https://prbi.co.uk/its-wantage-neverland-as-shops-host-peter-pan-prize-draw-trail/) - There’ll be a little of Neverland about Wantage town centre for the end of May school half term holidays, as local shops host a special Peter Pan trail. It’s a joint venture by Wantage town team and The Beacon to celebrate its showing of a recorded performance, captured live at the National Theatre, of JM
- [Could a pop up shop hire help establish your business in Banbury town centre?](https://prbi.co.uk/could-a-pop-up-shop-hire-help-establish-your-business-in-banbury-town-centre/) - Independent businesses looking to establish themselves in Banbury town centre have a new opportunity to be part of the town’s pop up shop project. As part of its Cherwell District Council-funded role, Banbury town team has made a number of pop up shop opportunities available to give businesses a way to test their venture without
- ["The pop-up shop is a great opportunity for us"](https://prbi.co.uk/the-pop-up-shop-is-a-great-opportunity-for-us/) - Two more businesswomen have chosen Wallingford as the place to make a step onto the high street, thanks to having a pop up shop programme there. Patti Miskolczi and Miranda Blaas-Cousins have leased 29 High Street for a 6-week pop up, direct from the landlord, and have opened as ‘Home & living’, with a combination
- [Lights On and Late Night Shopping for two Wantage Christmas Thursdays plus ‘Free Fridays’ December parking](https://prbi.co.uk/lights-on-and-late-night-shopping-for-two-wantage-christmas-thursdays-plus-free-fridays-december-parking/) - Wantage shoppers can enjoy the special atmosphere of Christmas Lights-lit late night shopping on two Thursdays this December, plus free parking Fridays. Many of the town centre’s independents plus a number of nationals will open late for the two evenings in an initiative supported by Wantage & District Chamber of Commerce and the Town Team.
- [The GBHighSt Awards 2016 - Banbury town centre](https://prbi.co.uk/the-gbhighst-awards-2016-banbury-town-centre/) - Efforts to boost Banbury town centre will go under the spotlight as part of a search for the best examples of work to stimulate Britain's high streets. Cherwell District Council's economic development team has entered Banbury for the Large Market Town category of the Great British High Street Awards. The winners will be announced this
- [Adding another town to those we're working in](https://prbi.co.uk/adding-another-town-to-those-were-working-in/) - Start-up and growing independent retailers will get a chance to trial a shop in Swindon town centre for a short period under a new scheme launched today, which helps to overcome one of the biggest barriers to empty shop units being let. Landlords often ask for a long lease, sometimes for as long as five
- [Wallingford Pop Up Shop project update](https://prbi.co.uk/wallingford-pop-up-shop-project-update-june-2016/) - Three retailers who were drawn together by the Wallingford pop up shop project have opened their own permanent shop in the town. Hayley Shaw, Madeleine Tanner, and Devon Masters have opened a vintage fashion, accessories and crafts shop together under a joint brand name, Sew Very Vintage, at 10 St Mary’s Street Wallingford. After successfully running their
- [Our Oxfordshire High Streets Conference](https://prbi.co.uk/our-oxfordshire-high-streets-conference/) - The people and projects that are at the heart of work to strengthen Oxfordshire’s town centre economies are the focus of a conference in July. The Oxfordshire High Streets Conference will bring together people working on town centre vitality projects, retailers, business group representatives, and councillors and council economic development teams. They’ll share ideas and
- [Town Team films series spotlights places to eat and drink in Wantage and Grove](https://prbi.co.uk/town-team-films-series-spotlights-places-to-eat-and-drink-in-wantage-and-grove/) - The range of great places to eat and drink in Wantage and Grove are showcased in a new series of short films that give residents and visitors an insight into the choices available locally. There are seven short films in the new series – two on eating out, focusing on restaurants, three on pubs and
- [Young Oxfordshire golfers](https://prbi.co.uk/young-oxfordshire-golfers/) - Talented young Oxfordshire golfers are being offered the chance to help build on the success of a growing academy.
- [JACKfm](https://prbi.co.uk/728/) - Prbi is working with Oxfordshire commercial radio station 106JACKfm to supply local business news for their hourly Oxfordshire business reports.
- [Everybody counts or nobody counts](https://prbi.co.uk/everybody-counts-or-nobody-counts/) - ...this is phrase from the Harry Bosch detective novel series by author Michael Connelly, and one which is being used to drive a challenge for Oxfordshire business. OTCN has set itself The OxHop Challenge - 10 ways that businesses can support what is our county'€™s only direct access homeless hostel for people aged 25 and
- [Spring Hill Farms and Gardens project](https://prbi.co.uk/spring-hill-farms-and-gardens-project/) - An overgrown farms and gardens site and its near-derelict buildings have been transformed into a thriving land-based training and education centre, thanks to funding from the Big Lottery Fund Local Food programme. The pioneering Spring Hill Farms and Gardens project is in the grounds of HMP Springhill, a Category D open prison between Bicester and
- [OxFocus 2012 line up](https://prbi.co.uk/oxfocus-2012-line-up/) - High profile speaker networking event series OxFocus has announced its 2012 line up and some big changes for 2012.
- [Witney campus redevelopment](https://prbi.co.uk/witney-campus-redevelopment/) - David Cameron has officially opened Abingdon and Witney College'€™s £7.4m Witney campus redevelopment. The Prime Minister and Witney MP told an audience of more than 200 people that he was "very excited to be here to celebrate the new upgraded facilities being ready for use and to celebrate vocational education."
- [Small businesses taking on apprentices](https://prbi.co.uk/small-businesses-taking-on-apprentices/) - A major drive to boost the number of small businesses who take on apprentices is focusing on Southern Oxfordshire. The event, on Thursday October 11th is hosted by Jennings at Monument Park, Chalgrove, and aims to give owners of smaller businesses in the area the opportunity to have their questions around the issue answered, and
- [20 apprenticeship vacancies](https://prbi.co.uk/20-apprenticeship-vacancies/) - A college-business partnership initiative is highlighting 20 apprenticeship vacancies with firms across Oxfordshire. Abingdon and Witney College is promoting the vacancies for people who are keen to combine work for a local firm with learning.
- [A pioneering education and training centre](https://prbi.co.uk/a-pioneering-education-and-training-centre/) - A pioneering education and training centre near Bicester is launching a new series of Horticulture and Land-based Studies courses for garden centre, farm and landscape business staff. The courses are also aimed at people who grow produce in their gardens or on an allotment and would like to develop their horticulture skills.
- [Oxfordshire Christmas Lights](https://prbi.co.uk/oxfordshire-christmas-lights/) - Countywide business network OTCN has launched its popular online listing of Oxfordshire Christmas Lights Switch-on events, ahead of what’s being described as a crucial time for business on our High Streets.
- [40+ employers play their part in Careers Fest 2013](https://prbi.co.uk/40-employers-play-their-part-in-careers-fest-2013/) - Representatives of more than 40 Oxfordshire employers met potential employees of the future at a two-day Careers Fest event. Among those from 10 key sectors taking part were British Gas Business, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, The Royal Navy and hosts MINI Plant Oxford. More than 1300 Year 11 and 6th form students from 10 Oxfordshire
- [Making Sense of Apprenticeships](https://prbi.co.uk/making-sense-of-apprenticeships/) - Harwell Oxford'€™s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory will be the latest Oxfordshire business centre to host a campaign to boost the take up of apprenticeships. The Making Sense of Apprenticeships event is on Wednesday March 13th, and is billed as an opportunity for local employers to discuss all aspects of employing young people.
- [Careers Fest welcomes 2,000 Oxfordshire students](https://prbi.co.uk/careers-fest-welcomes-2000-oxfordshire-students/) - Representatives of fifty businesses and organisations talked careers and job opportunities to Oxfordshire students at the 2014 OCL ‘Have a Go’ Careers Fest. Two thousand students aged 14-18 from 18 Oxfordshire schools attended the two day event, hosted by MINI Plant Oxford. Simon Farrall, head of associate and apprentice training at BMW Group UK, said:
- [Variety is the spice of Spring at HWBidCo Enterprise HQ](https://prbi.co.uk/variety-is-the-spice-of-spring-at-hwbidco-enterprise-hq/) - Renewable energy installation, streetwear, art as a way to raise awareness of challenging illnesses, a prize-winning street food idea and a ladies fashion retailer are among the businesses ventures that’ll be taking a step onto the High Street at HWBIDCo’s Enterprise HQ this Spring. HWBIDCo created Enterprise HQ from a derelict unit at 9-10 Church
- [Michelle’s early starts help share the Oxfordshire Apprenticeships message](https://prbi.co.uk/michelles-early-starts-help-share-the-oxfordshire-apprenticeships-message/) - The Oxfordshire Apprenticeships team have been taking their message out to the county’s businesses, notching up 22 different networking event visits inside the first two months of the year! The whirlwind tour by Michelle Howie, who took up the challenge of getting round county business networking groups for Oxfordshire Apprenticeships, has taken her from Banbury
- [Young Apprentices “honoured” to take up the challenge of inspiring the next generation](https://prbi.co.uk/young-apprentices-honoured-to-take-up-the-challenge-of-inspiring-the-next-generation/) - Young Oxfordshire Apprentices have signed up to play a leading role in a new initiative to encourage others to follow them into an Apprenticeship. Nine young people currently or recently in Apprenticeships with local businesses and organisations have agreed to devote some of their time to the role of Apprenticeship Ambassadors. They’re the first to
- [Are you keen to take your business into a shop in Wallingford town centre?](https://prbi.co.uk/are-you-keen-to-take-your-business-into-a-shop-in-wallingford-town-centre/) - For The Herald newspaper series April 2016 You may have traded until now online, or at markets and trade fairs, or you may be established in another town and looking at Wallingford next. If your business adds to the retail mix we have already, we’d be very interested in talking to you about our pop
- [Banbury Old Town Spring Party 2016](https://prbi.co.uk/banbury-old-town-spring-party-2016/) - More than 25 independent businesses and community organisations from around Banbury town centre will take their trade and talents out onto the streets for the Old Town Spring Party on Saturday 7 May. Independent shops, cafes, pubs, and restaurants will be adding to the party spirit by trading outside on the day along Parsons Street,
- [How much a pop up shop can mean](https://prbi.co.uk/how-much-a-pop-up-shop-can-mean/) - Reflections as one popupster reached the end of her stay in our Wallingford High Street pop up shop: "I'm now into my last week at the pop up shop and what an amazing time I've had. It really is something to celebrate and has made me more determined to find my forever shop! Here are some
- [Empty shop numbers in Banbury take a tumble](https://prbi.co.uk/empty-shop-numbers-in-banbury-take-a-tumble/) - The number of empty shops in Banbury town centre has fallen again. The latest audit by Banbury's town team co-ordinators shows 33 ground floor retail and hospitality units listed as empty and available. That's down from 40 at this time last year and down from 53 when the town team co-ordinators published the first audit in May
- [“A great opportunity to meet our future professionals”](https://prbi.co.uk/a-great-opportunity-to-meet-our-future-professionals/) - Representatives of major Oxfordshire employers welcomed Careers Fest 2016 as a great opportunity for them to meet the next generation of employees. More than 50 employers, education organisations and training providers, and more than 1500 students, aged 14-18, from 15 Oxfordshire schools, attended the 2-day Oxford City Learning (OCL) event, hosted by MINI Plant Oxford. The
- [New Wallingford pop up shop open for business](https://prbi.co.uk/new-wallingford-pop-up-shop-open-for-business/) - An online children’s clothing retailer is the first to market-test its business in Wallingford’s latest pop up shop. Run by a mum to two children, Emma Cooper, Mon Petit Oscar - www.monpetitoscar.com - specialise in clothes and shoes for newborns through to 7 year olds, and offers change bags, accessories and gifts. They source all
- [Long-time empty shops](https://prbi.co.uk/long-time-empty-shops/) - So another positive High Streets story (empty shop numbers at their lowest since December ’09) is diminished by being tied to another about long term empties (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/12147104/Shop-vacancies-fall-to-six-year-low-but-dry-January-drags-on-sales.html). Is it time for a more detailed study of these empties to separate those which are like that because of a lack of demand versus those impacted by
- [Wallingford Pop Up Shop: Occupier update...](https://prbi.co.uk/wallingford-pop-up-shop-occupier-update/) - A new group of occupiers have taken their places in Wallingford’s pop up shop at 29 High Street with three of the businesses who’ve been in the unit since it opened in July staying on. “The first 5 weeks in the pop up shop have been a great success." Three businesses, who’ve called themselves jointly
- [Science talks series set to launch at Wantage town centre café](https://prbi.co.uk/science-talks-series-set-to-launch-at-wantage-town-centre-cafe/) - Wantage is to strengthen its links with local science centres and technology businesses by launching the popular Café Scientifique concept in a town centre café. Café Sci is a national initiative which has had local events in Didcot and Wallingford for a number of years. It involves a speaker delivering a science, engineering or technology-based
- [Wantage town team sets out its stall for national Indie Day ](https://prbi.co.uk/wantage-town-team-sets-out-its-stall-for-national-independents-day-/) - Wantage’s town team will showcase what’s in store at 25 local shops with a stall on the town’s Saturday Market for national Independents’ Day on July 4th. They’ll challenge shoppers to match the items with the name of the shop in Wantage or Grove they come from in a prize draw competition, with £25 vouchers
- [Pop up shop to create new pipeline of businesses for Wallingford’s empty units](https://prbi.co.uk/pop-up-shop-to-create-new-pipeline-of-businesses-for-wallingfords-empty-units/) - Wallingford’s new pop up shop will open this month and more than 20 businesses have already expressed an interest in taking up a space. The unit, on Wallingford High Street, is being let by town centre specialists Iain Nicholson and Neil Wild of Flashop UK Ltd, as part of a joint South Oxfordshire District Council-Wallingford Town
- [Vale shop vacancies hit five year low](https://prbi.co.uk/vale-shop-vacancies-hit-five-year-low/) - The number of shop units that are currently lying vacant in the Vale of White Horse district has reached a five year low. A snapshot survey, which is carried out on an annual basis in the Vale’s market towns, took place in September and revealed that Abingdon, Faringdon and Wantage are all well below the
- [Wantage popup shop in the spotlight](https://prbi.co.uk/wantage-popup-shop-in-the-spotlight/) - Wantage has played host to town centre specialists from across the region and beyond. The national charity Action for Market Towns chose Wantage for the latest in its series of Town Team Initiative workshops, which focus on practical strategies for boosting small market towns. Discussions included opportunities for rethinking the town centre, making the most
- [Entrepreneurs challenged to grow town’s business community](https://prbi.co.uk/entrepreneurs-challenged-to-grow-towns-business-community/) - HWBIDCo has thrown down the gauntlet to ambitious entrepreneurs looking to market test their business on the high street. The new Enterprise HQ space, created in Church Street, High Wycombe has been set up as a high profile commercial space to encourage new or start-up businesses to consider the benefits of trading in the town centre.
- [Young entrepreneurs are first to occupy High Wycombe’s new enterprise space](https://prbi.co.uk/young-entrepreneurs-are-first-to-occupy-high-wycombes-new-enterprise-space/) - Two young entrepreneurs are the first to take up the challenge of operating their business on the High Street as part of HWBIDCo’s Enterprise HQ. The new Enterprise HQ space, created in Church Street, has been set up as a high profile commercial space to encourage new or start-up businesses to consider the benefits of
- [Fair Rates for Retail campaign](https://prbi.co.uk/fair-rates-for-retail-campaign/) - In a November 2012 guest column for The Oxfordshire Guardian newspaper series, Ian Middleton, Retail Week columnist and Managing Director of Argenteus Jewellery on Oxford’s Cornmarket, on the ‘Fair Rates for Retail’ campaign... There’s been discussion recently about the re-tasking of town centre shops into residential and other uses. The argument being that shuttered stores
- [Delight as Wantage secures national award](https://prbi.co.uk/delight-as-wantage-secures-national-award/) - Work to revitalise Wantage has received a national seal of approval after the town won a Great British High Street Award. Wantage has won the Town Centre Category in the awards which recognise innovative town centres where projects bring more people and business to the area. The contest was run by the Future High Streets
- [‘Flashop Wantage’ is back with 12 more businesses](https://prbi.co.uk/flashop-wantage-is-back-with-12-more-businesses/) - Wantage’s pop up shop, Flashop, has re-opened with 12 more businesses set to make use of the space at 18A Mill Street to showcase their products, between now and October 20th. The second tranche of pop ups are a combination of people who run online businesses or take their products to trade shows and craft
- [Ideas call for ‘community space’ in Mill Street Wantage](https://prbi.co.uk/ideas-call-for-community-space-as-mill-street-wantage/) - Wantage will soon have a town centre community space in a refurbished shop unit – and local groups are being invited to put forward ideas about how it could be used. Wantage’s town team have reached agreement with the landlords of Units 13 and 15 Mill Street (the old Chameleon Drinks shop and its neighbour)
- [More Wantage and Grove businesses sign up to local trade boost initiative](https://prbi.co.uk/more-wantage-and-grove-businesses-sign-up-to-local-trade-boost-initiative/) - A new stamp card option is now available to shoppers with a Wantage & Grove Loyalty Card - http://www.wantageandgroveloyalty.co.uk/- as part of a focus on rewarding regular customers. Ten additional businesses have joined the scheme in the last month. The extension of the Loyalty Card scheme is one of the initiatives being developed by town
- [Ready Teddy Go: to celebrate Lianne’s double business birthday](https://prbi.co.uk/ready-teddy-go-to-celebrate-liannes-double-business-birthday/) - An Oxfordshire businesswoman is gearing up to celebrate a double business birthday, surrounded by teddies and other cuddly toys! It’s a year since 29-year old Lianne Fisher (pictured) launched her personalised teddy business Ready Teddy Go online, and six years since she started the web-based gifts company www.allthingsgifts.co.uk From her office and workshop base on
- [Scaffolders and Tennis coaching CIC head “strongest ever” SONBC field](https://prbi.co.uk/scaffolders-and-tennis-coaching-cic-head-strongest-ever-sonbc-field/) - A scaffolding firm and a tennis coaching enterprise have been named as winners of the Southern Oxfordshire New Business Competition from a field described as the strongest since it started. They were chosen as winners from 24 entries to the competition, which is for businesses in southern Oxfordshire within their first two years of trading.
- [‘Flashop Wantage’ open for business](https://prbi.co.uk/flashop-wantage-open-for-business/) - An independent ladies shoe shop and a baby & children’s clothes, gifts and accessories specialist lead the way as Wantage’s pop up shop, Flashop, opens for business. Helena Wohlfahrt’s, Valentina’s Shoe Box, and Janette Reed’s, Cotswold Kids, will make first use of the pop up shop in Unit 18A on Mill Street, Wantage. They’ll be
- [The Competition win that makes a big difference](https://prbi.co.uk/the-competition-win-that-makes-a-big-difference/) - “Working from office premises has raised our status within our industry giving our business a significantly greater professional image, and we were able to reclaim vital space in our home.” that’s what it means to be a winner of the Southern Oxfordshire New Business Competition (SONBC), according to previous winner Matt Stone at AD Health
- [Businesses say Oxford Food Waste Collection Pilot is “a great success”](https://prbi.co.uk/businesses-say-oxford-food-waste-collection-pilot-is-a-great-success/) - Oxford hospitality and catering businesses say a recycling initiative has made a big difference to the amount of food waste they dump in landfill, and helped cut costs. One leading city hotel group says the recycling initiative has cut the amount of food waste it dumps by 35 per cent. The comments came at a
- [College students prove they’re work-ready with Business Awards film commission](https://prbi.co.uk/college-students-prove-theyre-work-ready-with-business-awards-film-commission/) - Media students at Abingdon and Witney College have been given an exciting real-work challenge - to make a film of the high profile 2012 Thames Valley Business Magazine Awards evening. The Awards were presented at a glittering black–tie dinner in the Royal Berkshire Conference Centre at the Madejski Stadium, Reading in front of an audience
- [A walk of art: Wantage town centre shops host student art trail](https://prbi.co.uk/a-walk-of-art-wantage-town-centre-shops-host-student-art-trail/) - The creative and artistic talents of students at Wantage’s King Alfred’s Academy were on display in town centre shops as part of a new art trail initiative. Wantage town team and the school’s Creative Arts and Design Department worked together on the project, which saw student art displayed in 11 shops during the local Oxfordshire Artweeks
- [Banbury presents...](https://prbi.co.uk/banbury-presents/) - Banbury’s Town Team is working with arts and entertainment specialists, Planet Neptune, to develop the Banbury presents... programme of arts, entertainment and culture, featuring all kinds of different types of performance, exhibition and arts events and activities. Banbury presents… aims to put art everywhere, and is especially focused on presenting the programme in key outdoor
- [Town Team initiative brings the pink pig back to Banbury town centre](https://prbi.co.uk/town-team-initiative-brings-the-pink-pig-back-to-banbury-town-centre/) - A popular Banbury vinyl records business is back in the town centre, five years since it left. Thanks to an initiative by the Banbury town team, Record Savings (AKA Pink Pig) has taken on a unit in Church Lane to sell its mix of vinyl, cds, posters and gifts. Part of the role of Banbury’s
- [Long empty Parsons Street, Banbury unit let is welcomed by local traders](https://prbi.co.uk/long-empty-parsons-street-banbury-unit-let-is-welcomed-by-local-traders/) - Traders in Banbury’s Parsons Street have welcomed the latest business to join them – as it takes on a unit there that’s thought to have been empty for more than six years. Simon Hammans is opening his specialist outdoor clothing and equipment business, freshairjunkie (www.freshairjunkie.co.uk), in the former Bernard Smith’s Curtain Shop at 38 Parsons
- [National recognition follows Wantage revival](https://prbi.co.uk/national-recognition-follows-wantage-revival/) - Schemes to revitalise Wantage town centre have received a major seal of approval after the town was short listed for a national award. Wantage has made it to the finals of the Great British High Street Awards, which recognises innovative town centres where projects bring more people and business to the area. With the number
- [”Wantage presents…” brings music into town](https://prbi.co.uk/wantage-presents-brings-music-into-town/) - Summer Saturday visitors and shoppers in Wantage will get an extra special musical welcome to the town centre, thanks to a free public performance initiative. “Wantage presents…” will see a variety of local bands and individual musicians and acts perform in Wantage Marketplace on Saturdays, starting at 10.30 in the morning and running for an
- [£10m expansion plan for popular Oxfordshire business park](https://prbi.co.uk/10m-expansion-plan-for-popular-oxfordshire-business-park/) - Oxfordshire landlords Jennings have announced a £10m expansion plan for their flagship business park, which could bring up to 300 new jobs to the area. It would see Monument Park at Chalgrove offer a further 56,000sqft of commercial space, with room for up to 20 businesses, as well as potential for an education centre, gym,
- [‘Smarti Minis’ art is a start for Wantage and Grove project](https://prbi.co.uk/smarti-minis-art-is-a-start-for-wantage-and-grove-project/) - Paintings of Wantage and Grove landmarks by some of the district’s youngest artists have gone on display, as part of a new public art and performance initiative. Ten paintings by children aged two to four have gone up in the wall-mounted display boxes of Wantage’s Victoria Cross Gallery. The project is part of a new
- [Be Part of The Mix](https://prbi.co.uk/e-part-of-the-mix/) - A new community space for Wantage has opened following the refurbishment of an empty shop on the town’s Mill Street. Called ‘The Mix’, it’s being run by the non-profit cooperative group, Sustainable Wantage, and is available for local groups and organisations to hire, and host a range of skill share workshops, fund-raising activities and recycling,
- [First into ‘Flashop’ Wantage take next step in town](https://prbi.co.uk/first-into-flashop-wantage-take-next-step-in-town/) - The first two businesses to use Wantage’s Flashop pop-up shop are back in town, for a longer stint. Baby & children’s boutique, Cotswold Kids, and independent ladies footwear specialist, Valentina’s Shoe Box, have taken on the adjoining unit – 18 Mill Street – for three months. Both businesses already have shops in Witney, and are
- [Just the ticket: web project works for City Sightseeing Oxford](https://prbi.co.uk/just-the-ticket-web-project-works-for-city-sightseeing-oxford/) - Oxfordshire web design and development specialists OXLink are helping boost business for one of Oxford’s most visible companies in one of the city’s key industry sectors. They’ve just finished a major rebuild of the Guide Friday City Sightseeing Oxford website - www.citysightseeingoxford.com - including developing a new system that helps with ticketing by using the
- [We have the skills](https://prbi.co.uk/we-have-the-skills/) - Interesting developments this month on the skills issue, and in particular around the role played by apprenticeships. Earlier in the year, Oxfordshire-based motorsport and automotive engineering group, Prodrive, made a high profile appeal for new engineers. Now it’s emerged that strong interest from Oxfordshire businesses has sparked a search for apprentices in another key sector.
- [The light with the shade in our economic picture](https://prbi.co.uk/the-light-with-the-shade-in-our-economic-picture/) - I penned a critical note to the Chief Economist of one of the UK’s leading business organisations this week following what felt like an overly gloomy press statement. It seemed a bold move from a local business network, but felt right for two reasons. Firstly, I accept that one man’s realist is another’s pessimist/optimist (depending
- [Positive financial and jobs news](https://prbi.co.uk/positive-financial-and-jobs-news/) - Oxfordshire businesses including London-Oxford Airport, Hunts people in Print, and Four Pillars Hotels have started the New Year with positive financial and jobs news.
- [New head chef](https://prbi.co.uk/new-head-chef/) - The owner of an Oxfordshire hotel believes the signing of a new head chef, with a track record at a series of Michelin-starred restaurants, will take the business to a new level. Fallowfields Country House Hotel and Restaurant at Kingston Bagpuize has announced the arrival of Shaun Dickens as Head Chef.
- [We do great sports pictures](https://prbi.co.uk/we-do-great-sports-pictures/) - ...and we do great sports pictures and words too!
- [Leaderfest](https://prbi.co.uk/leaderfest/) - A wealth of insights into running a business at a senior level was shared with delegates at Leaderfest 2011 organised by Oxfordshire-based leadership development specialists MD2MD.
- [Rising gas and oil prices](https://prbi.co.uk/rising-gas-and-oil-prices/) - Fears over rising gas and oil prices and the ever strengthening interest in sustainable energy sources is boosting business for an Oxfordshire family firm - Manor House Stoves at The Boundary Business Park in Garsington.
- [New Foundation Degree in Business](https://prbi.co.uk/new-foundation-degree-in-business/) - Oxford Brookes University and Oxford & Cherwell Valley College have announced a new Foundation Degree in Business & Enterprise. It will allow people in work in the private, public or voluntary sectors to study one day a week over two years for a Higher Education qualification.
- [TBAC business centres](https://prbi.co.uk/tbac-business-centres/) - The network of three TBAC business centres – in East Oxford, Abingdon and Didcot – has a new manager at the helm and has become part of the Jennings family of properties, www.jennings.co.uk.
- [Three young would-be entrepreneurs](https://prbi.co.uk/three-young-would-be-entrepreneurs/) - Three young would-be entrepreneurs are gearing up for a big step towards creating their own business – and they’re urging others to join them. The first students are signing up to study for a pioneering qualification in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at Oxford & Cherwell Valley College, as part of the high profile Peter Jones Enterprise
- [New Managing Director for Jennings](https://prbi.co.uk/new-managing-director-for-jennings/) - Oxfordshire business park owners Jennings have a new Managing Director. Paul Mabbutt steps up from his role as Director to become MD. He takes over from Mike Jennings who is to become the company’s Chairman.
- [25 years at the heart of services for homeless people](https://prbi.co.uk/25-years-at-the-heart-of-services-for-homeless-people/) - An Oxford charity is celebrating 25 years at the heart of services for homeless people in Oxfordshire. Oxford Homeless Pathways started life as a single converted building offering ‘food, warmth and shelter’ at night only, and is now a cornerstone operation offering a wide range of resettlement and support services to homeless people.
- [Careers Fest 2012](https://prbi.co.uk/careers-fest-2012/) - MINI Plant Oxford is to host Careers Fest 2012, with some 2,000 young people invited to attend.
- [New industry skills partnership](https://prbi.co.uk/new-industry-skills-partnership/) - The OCVC Performance Engineering Centre at Bicester is helping drive a new industry skills partnership as a founding training provider for the Composites Skills Alliance.
- [Minis-restoration business](https://prbi.co.uk/minis-restoration-business/) - Restored after time left in a field or the corner of a garage; repaired after a bump on the roads – Minis have been a passion for one family for over 35 years. Now they’ve moved their Minis-restoration business, The Real Mini Company, to a base in Oxfordshire.
- [A campaign to remove the barriers to entrepreneurship](https://prbi.co.uk/a-campaign-to-remove-the-barriers-to-entrepreneurship/) - A campaign to remove the barriers to entrepreneurship has been launched by The Federation of Small Businesses in Oxfordshire.
- [Food waste collection project](https://prbi.co.uk/food-waste-collection-project/) - More than 20 environment-friendly Oxford businesses have signed up for a free 3-month food waste collection project – and more are being urged to join them. The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership project is aimed at hospitality and catering businesses and others who have food waste as a big issue.
- [Get Involved](https://prbi.co.uk/get-involved/) - Businesses in West Oxfordshire are being urged to ‘Get Involved’ and pledge time to create work placement, apprenticeships and employment opportunities for young and unemployed people. It’s a joint initiative by Abingdon and Witney College and homelessness-to-work charity Aspire Oxford.
- [Oxfordshire business training](https://prbi.co.uk/oxfordshire-business-training/) - Oxfordshire business training and mentoring specialists The Learning Ladder are extending a major partnership agreement with the UK and Ireland's leading pizza delivery company, Domino's.
- [Do independent shops have a bright future?](https://prbi.co.uk/do-independent-shops-have-a-bright-future/) - We were recently asked by The Oxford Mail newspaper to answer the following question for their regular ‘Issues’ column: Do independent shops have a bright future? ...and we answered: “Yes”. Here’s why.
- [Partnership with Abingdon and Witney College](https://prbi.co.uk/772/) - An Oxfordshire-based global brand and distribution company is encouraging fellow employers to talk to their local college when they’re looking to build their team and develop its skills. Oxford Products Ltd. the company behind Oxford Essential Rider Equipment, the UK's leading supplier of motorcycle and cycle accessories, recruited three new employees into its warehousing operation
- [Boost for local Special Needs education](https://prbi.co.uk/country-first-is-a-boost-for-local-special-needs-education/) - Two Oxfordshire Special Schools and Abingdon and Witney College have announced the establishment of a multi academy trust that will be the first of its kind in the country. The Propeller Academy Trust will build on an established working relationship between the College and Kingfisher School in Abingdon and Fitzwaryn School in Wantage.
- [Town Team helps keep The Edinburgh Woollen Mill on Banbury’s High Street](https://prbi.co.uk/town-team-helps-keep-the-edinburgh-woollen-mill-on-banburys-high-street/) - The Edinburgh Woollen Mill store is extending its stay in Banbury High Street, thanks to a new deal with its landlords brokered by Banbury’s Town Team. The high profile national ladies and menswear retailer had announced it was planning to vacate the store at 10 High Street at the end of March. Signs going up
- [In the run up to two key announcements, one in the Vale the other in Cherwell...Iain Nicholson examines the cost of parking charges in our market towns.](https://prbi.co.uk/in-the-run-up-to-two-key-announcements-one-in-the-vale-the-other-in-cherwell-iain-nicholson-examines-the-cost-of-parking-charges-in-our-market-towns/) - Parking. Always a top three issue if you talk business in our market towns, and a hot topic again. Traders in Abingdon, Faringdon and Wantage wait to see what the new Vale administration’s meant by promising free parking. Business groups and traders lobby against increased charges in Banbury and Bicester. It’s a controversial issue, but
- [Our county’s economy](https://prbi.co.uk/494/) - In his latest comment piece, Iain Nicholson on the state of our county’s economy. Ask the question “how is Oxfordshire’s economy faring?” at any of the business networking events in OTCN and what do you get? Answer: it depends. On the one hand you have companies like motorsport and vehicle technologists Prodrive highlighting its need
- [Anti-business measures must be resisted](https://prbi.co.uk/anti-business-measures-must-be-resisted/) - The OTCN inbox this month was dominated by expressions of concern and sympathy for fellow businesses who suffered damage in the disturbances we’ve seen in a number of cities. Concern based on an understanding that – in what are still very challenging times – business remains vulnerable. We need to do what we can to
- [PRBI is driving the new Business page for The Oxford Journal newspaper. Here is our first monthly blog.](https://prbi.co.uk/prbi-is-driving-the-new-business-page-for-the-oxford-journal-newspaper-here-is-our-first-monthly-blog/) - So TV retail guru Mary ‘Queen of Shops’ Portas is to carry out a review for the Government “to halt the decline of the high street". Said Mary: “I am calling on businesses, local authorities and shoppers to contribute their ideas on how we can halt this decline in its tracks and create town centres
- [Horizons & Futures Oxfordshire business magazine: your say!](https://prbi.co.uk/our-new-website-is-underway/) - It's your business magazine...so how do we build from here? Hopefully by now you'll have had a copy of Horizons & Futures 7 or seen it online at http://www.bbkmedia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=8 The next edition will be out before the summer break and the editorial team would like your views. What would you like to see? More short

## Pages

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- [A guide to…](https://prbi.co.uk/meanwhile-use/) - We’re always happy to help and are creating a new series of guides and briefing notes around key elements of the challenges place leaders and managers are facing… Are you planning to: + start work on tackling highstreet vacancy in your town or city centre, and improve the mix of use types you have now…?
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- [Introducing…](https://prbi.co.uk/about/) - …The Vacant Shops Academy is an initiative from prbi, founded in 2022 by Iain Nicholson, a #placemaking specialist focused on tackling #highstreet empty shops challenges and improving the mix of uses in town and city centres. "Iain has consistently demonstrated his enthusiasm for and understanding of town centres and what is needed to keep them
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