The Ministry for Housing Community and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced the establishments of a panel of experts, to diagnose issues that affect health of England’s high streets and ‘advise on the best practical measures to help them thrive’.
image: Fiona Newton
MHCLG writes:
A panel of experts appointed to diagnose issues that currently affect the health of our high streets and advise on the best practical measures to help them thrive now and in the future, has been announced… by High Streets Minister Jake Berry MP.
Chaired by Sir John Timpson, Chairman of Timpson, the multiple service retailer, the panel will focus on what consumers and local communities want from their high streets. Their review will look at the current challenges and work out options to ensure our town centres remain vibrant. The panel of experts have a wealth of experience and include representatives from the retail, property and design sectors.
Welcoming the establishment of the expert advisory panel, High Streets Minister Jake Berry MP said: ‘High streets and small businesses are the backbone of our economy and we want to see them thrive now and in the future. People care about their local high streets because they are the centres of their community. But our high streets are changing, and the government is committed to helping communities adapt. High streets of the future will still be commercial centres but consumers now look for a wider range of experiences, from leisure to health services. Our future high streets may well feature more homes, childcare centres and gyms to bring people back and ensure that they keep returning. I want to thank Sir John who is bringing 50 years of direct retail experience to the review.’
Sir John Timpson said: ‘Throughout my career, high streets and city centres have continually changed to fulfill the needs of society, but the recent shift towards more out of town and online shopping threatens the future of many high streets. The panel cannot offer an instant, quick fix, solution but we hope to identify practical and common sense decisions that will help the government provide the support that local communities and businesses need to provide the leisure and shopping facilities people will want 25 years from now.’
Later this summer the expert panel in conjunction with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will put out a call for evidence seeking what members of the public and young people in particular want from the high streets of the future. The announcement comes at the start of Great British High Street Week, a week of celebratory activity to promote The Great British High Street Awards 2018. The awards, run by MHCLG, and sponsored by Visa, are currently open for nominations. The deadline for entries is 22 August 2018.
The awards not only celebrate the best high streets across the nation, but will also champion ‘Rising Stars’ – the most ambitious high streets which are taking a lead and working together to revive, adapt and diversify. By shining a light on great examples of how high streets can meet the challenges of changing consumer behaviour and a changing retail environment, the awards will provide all communities with top tips for success. There will be 26 short-listed entries in the ‘Champion High Street ‘category, 13 for England, 6 for Scotland, 4 for Wales and 3 for Northern Ireland, and 12 short-listed entries for the ‘Rising Star’ category. The Shortlisted entries will be announced in September, and the winners announced in November 2018.
