Debate
street responsibilities to local government minister Grant Shapps, who is overseeing its response, the bigger debate will continue for some time. Portas’ review included the recommendation that town
T
teams, involving both private and public sector representa- tives, be created to take a joined-up approach to reviving the high street. Few would disagree, and it is an approach that big retailers and property businesses already had high on their agendas. Multiple retailers and shopping centre owners, contrary to
how they are sometimes portrayed, are both good for the town centres and good neighbours to other, frequently independently owned, smaller businesses nearby and the local communities they serve. One example is London’s main shopping district, the West
End, which has made great strides since the creation of a business improvement district and spearheaded by the New West End Company (NWEC). Oxford Street may be the country’s premier shopping thoroughfare but it has had problems very similar to much smaller high streets, such as rundown stretches, security issues and environmental problems that threatened to undermine its appeal. Initiatives such as the introduction of ‘red caps’ to provide
advice and help to visitors, car-free shopping days and environmental improvement have helped the district retain its business edge. And the benefits have been felt by small enterprises as well
as large, says Marks & Spencer director of retail Steve Rowe, a member of the NWEC board. M&S has been involved in similar ventures nationwide, whether through its store managers in local chambers of commerce or by contributing in other ways to town centres’ appeal. Rowe says: “Something like NWEC is supported largely
by the big stores, but it provides an umbrella over the smaller guys they might not otherwise have.”
A happy high street Benefits to the high street include the footfall that M&S brings, which gives other types of business access to a strong flow of customers and the ability to piggy-back on the town improvement initiatives that M&S often powers. “Many towns would see M&S as their destination store,”
says Rowe. “We drive 21 million people a week through our doors and that’s got to help everyone else.” The retailer helps create town centres that are attractive destinations through enlightened self-interest with schemes such as Christmas decorations or homelessness initiatives. “The more attractive, cleaner and safer [a town centre] is, the more attractive it is to our customers,” says Rowe.
24 spring 2012 Good
Large retailers and shopping centre owners have already put many aspects of retail troubleshooter Mary Portas’ recommendations into practice, finds George MacDonald
he headline-making publication of self-styled queen of shops Mary Portas’ high street review at the end of last year sparked new life into the ongoing debate about how town centres can be revitalised.
Although the Government subsequently allocated high
neighbours
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