Revitalising the High Street

There have been a lot of discussions regarding the problems facing Britain’s High Street – most recently the report from Mary Portas with her plan to save the High Streets.  My view is that shopping habits and trends, which always adapt and evolve to the circumstances, have now radically moved away from High Street shopping to retail parks and, more importantly, online shopping.  However, I do not think that this marks the end of the High Street, but in fact should bring about a change in how we view our City Centres.

I would like to see Planners encouraging more City Centre living because I feel that getting people back living in the City Centres will increase the demand for certain types of High Street shops that will be able to service this new market.  Not only would this proposal bring life into the shops on the High Street, but it would also have a spin-off benefit for central restaurants, cafes and pubs which I think would benefit the economy.