The Future of the High Street – Why Mary Portas misses the mark
We read Mary Portas report on The Future of the High Street with great interest last week.
Whilst it was good to see the issue get some coverage in the national media, we have some grave reservations about the direction and conclusions of her report. Perhaps the worst thing was that, having read the report, we are simply uninspired by the recommendations.
Yes, the high street is under threat
For some time now, the traditional British high street has been in decline due to the competition of out of town shopping facilities, internet and mobile shopping and, more recently, the general economic malaise. It’s laudable to try and do something about this as it’s desirable to maintain diversity in our towns.
However, we have to recognise that what has happened is structural economic change in the retail sector. Mary Portas’Â headline recommendations amount to encouraging shop owners to become active in their Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), some loosening of planning use classes, to make it easier for people to set up market stalls and to hold an annual National Market Day.
The Future of the High Street  - just papering over the cracks
Greater community involvement, forced investment from developers, tweaking of the planning system to attract potential new occupiers, encouraging market traders. All these recommendations are merely papering over the cracks of planning policy created by the tenure and inaccessibility of our high streets.
What we do agree about is that the retail element of the high street should be a contributory factor to the survival of a value community resource. However, the key to the renaissance of the British high street is surely infrastructure, public transport and accepting that the role of the car to supply footfall to our town centres. If the high street had the tools to really compete with out of town retail parks then they would begin thriving again as a shopping destination.
The return to the high street has already begun
Some larger retailers are already expanding back into town centres. Old pubs and cinemas – 2,000-4000 ft2 units – are becoming retail units. If the supermarket chains recognise the role of the high street and are managing their businesses accordingly, why don’t the rest of us?
The high street as event retail
We should manage the high street as an event, vibrant and surprising and pulsing with every aspect of business and leisure activity. We don’t see this as meaning that we turn our high streets in street markets. That seems to miss the point entirely. We need to support professional retailers. Seasonal local farmers market are well and good but the reality check is that a provincial town in Northamptonshire in January is not a Moroccan souk.
Infrastructure, planning and redevelopment – the real future of the high street
We should certainly restrict out of town retail development. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is already clear on its aim to promote sustainable development. High streets will be sustainable if they can generate sufficient interest and value.
If high streets – and town centres – work for shoppers, they will thrive. High streets can be supported if the planning system looked more favourably on the redevelopment of existing town centres and high streets to accommodate the new supermarket model, mixed use and franchised spaces, ample parking and access. Yes, this would mean some creative thinking and design but it will stimulate demand and inward investment from some of the most successful retail names.
