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 so they can go to separate uses.

🧩 But splitting up can be a key part of your strategy for the whole town or city centre too…

…and we’ve now suggested that for a number of places. Why…?

🤳🏽 It’s because they feel different, they’re a cluster of varying use types now so your target businesses and organisations aren’t the same, the opportunities presented by the available empties you have there point to alternative options, and you’ll ‘promote’ in each case to segments of your overall audience as customers and visitors.

We first used the idea working on a City Centre Action Plan for Oxford because even a relatively small central area like that actually divides into several differing ‘places’. We’ve seen the likes of Exeter and Chippenham start to present their places in quarters, and we’ve asked cities and towns we are working with to think similarly.

Might that work better for your place…? Would your tackling #highstreet vacancy approach be easier if you actually thought of it in two or three or more parts…?

🤔 It’d be interesting to hear what you think…