Partner Article

High streets must change with consumer habits

Phil Smith, Manchester committee chair of the IoD North West, responds to the latest figures from the Local Data company, reporting that the region has the most empty shops in the country.

Whilst the government should address a reduction in rates for the independent retailer, this will not significantly change the future of our high streets. It is a much deeper rooted issue than reducing rent and rates for ailing businesses. Consumer shopping habits have changed significantly over decades, with the development of out of town retail parks, shopping centres and the acceptance, and increasing options, of buying online. However, the most significant impact on the high street today is consumer choice, shopping behaviour was completely different when high streets and local shopping parades were thriving – it will never be the same again, so we should stop thinking of how it was in the past.

Our high streets and shopping parades were built around residential communities for the convenience of local people. The community has slowly moved away from daily or frequent weekly shops. The good news is that we still have examples of busy high streets, where you’ll find a great mix of independent retailers and service providers. You’ll also find that these high street are well maintained – councils should be able to enforce landlords to maintain a good standard of shop frontage.

People still want to live within close proximity to a well-kept thriving high street. It’s back to community engagement and capitalising on consumer purchasing choice. The development of Click & Collect-style services will have a positive impact on independent high street retailers; it brings people in and then its down to the retailers offer being attractive to today’s shoppers who buy by ‘value & choice’.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Institute of Directors, North West .