Twelve years ago this week we started what was my first tackling #highstreet vacancy project, in Wantage, Oxfordshire.
So in 2025 thinking about ‘next steps’ for one of our current commissions – Brynmawr in Blaenau Gwent – set me reflecting on what’s changed…?
The most obvious maybe is that we focused then only on #retail, #hospitality and services as candidates to fill empty units. Today, although those three still have a big part to play, we consider a much longer options list that runs from arts & crafts to health & wellbeing;
Places were maybe still missing their Woolworths store and the likes of Blockbusters followed;
There were far fewer pop up shops to learn from, now they’re a very regular element of projects;
For media coverage we mostly aimed at local press front pages whereas, even with the issues some platforms are having, attention now is largely on social media;
Retail parks were less common and more big box-stylie where they did exist;
I don’t know what percentage online shopping had then but it won’t have hit today’s levels;
Use class regs were different, some businesses that move in today had first to secure planning permission then;
Working From Home wasn’t a thing for many.
What else…?
So… some things that made our task easier, others tougher. A number of common features, some new based on changed circumstances and for sure a huge amount of learning and sharing.
If you were in #property or #placemaking in 2013 what do you think is the biggest difference…?
