INFORMATION & TECHNOLOGY


High streets are facing increasing difficulties


The net loss of shops on high streets, retail parks and shopping centres was at the highest for five years in 2018 at -193, growing from; -147 in 2014, -65 in 2015, - 64 in 2016 and -128 in 2017. The analysis tracked 4,666 outlets in the East Midlands operated by multiple retailers in 34 town centres across the region. Nottingham saw the highest net loss


in the region with 39 stores (23 openings and 62 closures), followed by Derby which saw a net loss of 31 stores (37 openings and 68 closures). Leicester saw a net loss of seven stores, with 34 openings and 41 closures. Beeston and East Retford were the


only areas to see a net growth of two and one stores respectively. The East Midlands saw some parts of the high


street thriving, with camping goods and outdoor wear shops, mobility services, bakers and ice cream parlours all opening a number of new premises across the region. Whereas there was a fall in the number of discount stores, banks and financial institutions, men’s and


women’s clothing stores, as well as pubs and computer game stores, reflecting the rising customer demand for online and apps, and in-home leisure. Andy Lyon (pictured), Retail and Consumer Markets Leader for PwC in the Midlands, said: “It’s clear that 2018 was a turbulent year for retailers. Coupled with the growth in online commerce and high occupancy costs impacted by business rates, retailers are facing some of the biggest challenges to hit the high street as we see closures hit record levels. “There is still an important role for the high street to play, as it secures a


sustainable future to support online and leisure activity. “We are seeing the high street evolve


into an experiential destination, be it through leisure experiences, or retailers restructuring their


physical space to support online activity by showcasing products, and attracting footfall through parcel collection and returns facilitation. “Key to this is to look at not what is failing but what


is thriving through consumer demand and how retailers are making smart changes.”


‘There is still an important role for the high street to play, as it secures a sustainable future to support online and leisure activity’


Should businesses call time on the traditional nine-to-five?


Ruth Gawthorpe (pictured), CEO of the Smart Working Revolution, which supports businesses to adopt working options that broaden talent pools and improve productivity, looks at where the nine-to-five routine came from and whether it’s time to re-evaluate.


Some leaders cling to it like grim death. Well, you can blame the Brits – after all, we started it. Prior to the British Industrial


Revolution people worked remotely, from home, in the fields, mobile in their horse and cart – all around the world. The British Industrial Revolution heralded mass production and people simply walked to the factory to work the assembly line. Technological, socioeconomic,


and cultural change abounded, and we got it into our heads that we had to be there, 9-5, five days a week. Wait a minute… that was 200


years ago. Surely things have moved on? Automation achieved major significance in the second half of the 20th Century, yet most organisations continue to demand workers are present in an office.


Droves upon droves of us cram


into public transport, roads and motorways at the same times, causing congestion and damaging our environment beyond repair – and when we finally get to work,


what do we do? We email the person next to us. In 2019, mobile technology is


everywhere. Wifi, smartphones, laptops, tablets, the Cloud, instant messaging, voice, audio, Microsoft


teams and, of course, video services from businesses such as Powwownow, Zoom and Skype. People can work just as easily


from the coffee shop, the cabin in the garden, co-working spaces, on the train or in a cab using a mobile hotspot as they can in the office. Today, the best candidates


expect to have some smart working options, so it stands to reason that if you don’t offer those options, then you can expect to miss out on the best candidates. With all this in mind, we’ve


created the UK’s first State of the Nation Smart Working Survey –a four minute survey – for businesses. Once we have prepared the report, we send businesses a copy that will help determine their next steps in deploying smarter ways of working in their organisation. Is it time for a Smart Working Revolution? We think so.


business network May 2019 77


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