What will be the new kid in town?

Is the death of the High Street exaggerated and what might the future of our town centres look like?

At our recent Place Pizzazz event we enjoyed a fantastic session looking at town centres where we asked ourselves if they really are doomed and discussed how we ensure they are vibrant.

We were joined by Professor Steve Millington of Manchester Metropolitan University, Anne Wright Chair of Ashbourne Town Team and owner of Young Ideas along with Jean Ball from Eventful Places who articulated how high streets and town centres are actually evolving and always have done.

Here’s our top 5 key learning points from this insightful session;

1. The high street is, and always has been, constantly evolving.
2. Embrace change that drives new footfall to this important part of any place.
3. Pop-up events and activities will add a layer of fun, vibrancy, and inclusion to any town centre as they bring places to life with real people and shared experience.
4. Capitalise on the popularity of re-use such as vintage shops and recycled produce to grow greener industry throughout the high street.
5. Strong leadership and excellent collaboration are essential to create successful inclusive town centre high streets.

For further insights check out the full session below;