Take a walk down your local high street and you’ll likely see signs of a changing economy. The brick-and-mortar businesses that line them have faced some significant challenges in recent years like changing consumer habits, economic crises and a pandemic.

Now, around 14% of high street retail units lay empty and 28% of our retail purchases in the UK are done online.

So, what does the future look like for our local high street? We speak to four of our academics about what’s next, whether gentrification is inevitable and what the government can do to help:

• Dr Andrew Brooks is a Reader in Uneven Development and Deputy Head of the Department of Geography. He researches the uneven growth of the world economy, and how patterns of consumptions shape lives worldwide.
• Dr Jack Brown is a Senior Lecturer in Government Studies and researches urban regeneration and governance of London
• Professor Phill Hubbard is a Professor of Urban Studies and in 2017 published his book, The Battle for the High Street.
• Dr Nathaniel Télémaque is a Lecturer in Geography and Social Justice and researches Global Black geographies and urban geographies. He is currently working on a project focused on the Kilburn High Road.

L-R: Dr Andrew Brooks, Dr Jack Brown, Professor Phil Hubbard and Dr Nathaniel Télémaque

 

Is the UK high street really in decline? Or are we witnessing its reinvention?

Jack: I think this depends on the high street! Almost all are struggling, with changes in the market and uses occurring alongside a difficult economic climate seeing more and more empty units. Some are really run down, and some have issues with crime and antisocial behaviour. Others are simply experiencing reinvention, where the way that we shop is leading to changes in uses. Almost all need some help, and the strength of community. The solutions will look different in different places.

Phil: In my book (The Battle for the High Street) my argument was that the high street cannot be what it was, but the answer is not always to mask its decline through stores and boutiques aimed at middle classes. These have helped revived high streets in some instances, but only where there are affluent middle classes, and only by further displacing affordable and traditional businesses.

A big challenge now is that retail property is worth more as housing than as shops, so leases have gone up, and a lot of business closed to make way for residential properties. This means more people living alone in small homes but fewer places to go in city centres to socialise, and reliance on delivery services for food as well as consumer goods.

Nathaniel: I do not believe that the high street is necessarily in decline, rather there is a potential for reinvention taking place on different high streets in different places. Whether this reinvention is a ‘good’ thing or a ‘bad ‘thing is fairly site-specific. Kilburn High Road is an archetypal thriving and bustling high street that continues to have new businesses pop up and new developments proposed for the site. Though this is a London-based example and there is a lot to be said about decline high streets in the north of England and wider UK.

Andrew: The modern British high street has declined. Some central urban shopping areas that are tilted towards experiential consumption - buying nice things rather than essentials, having an ambience that cultivates conspicuous spending, places with attractive food and drink options - are doing well, but this is far from universal. Revival happens in areas adjacent to middle class residential areas, whereas there is a continuing hollowing out of deprived urban centres.

There have been concerns about gentrification in and around Rye Lane in Peckham (left) and Deptford High Street (right). Images via Mels Van Der Mede and Rod Allday.

 

Can regeneration happen without leading to gentrification and the loss of local character?

Phil: My book explores the relationship between retail regeneration and gentrification and shows the former often results in the latter. Is this inevitable? No - and I have argued that a good high street should be a mix of affordable and less affordable retail outlets, with connective retail a real priority, formats that encourage mixing, talking, socialising. Book shops, nail bars, hairdressers all provide spaces where ‘loneliness’ can be assuaged and which can make people feel part of community. I argued that chicken shops and betting shops are even part of this, despite the bad rep they get.

Nathaniel: I believe that there are several examples of regeneration taking place that is orientated to the building of genuinely affordable new homes, that is not contributing to the gentrification and loss of character of different high streets and again, I’ve recently witnessed this on the Kilburn High Road. Towards the more residential part of the high road exists the construction of new housing developments led by Brent Council, that are orientated to the construction of new homes (for social rent) rather than soulless cookie cutter blocks being made for financial gain and more affluent populations.

Jack: Absolutely - and I am not certain that ‘gentrification’ is necessarily a bad thing! People of all backgrounds and economic status want and deserve a better public realm and better services. In my view, we shouldn’t prioritise avoiding ‘gentrification’ over improving places and services for the people that use them. Instead, we should aim to revive and improve (harnessing but not being tied down to existing ‘local character’), and gear policies towards helping people access these places and opportunities.

Andrew: If urban renewal is led by the private sector it inevitably leads to shift towards more affluent consumption. However, if the state, or non-government organisation can play a role in leading urban change this can restrict some of the gentrification that is most divisive.

How can the government and local authorities play a part in regenerating the high street?

Nathaniel: Government and local authorities could play a positive role in regenerating high roads if they genuinely aim to collaborate with local businesses, residents and community organisations in generative and substantive manners that exceed consultancy tick boxing exercises. I do believe that this is possible however the motivations, aims and intentions of the government and local ‘authorities’ need to be laid out transparently and clearly from the start at a grassroots level.

Andrew: Here it will be interesting to see if the Burnham government can carry forward its promise on devolution. In the recent past, EU funds helped regenerate places outside of London and the South East. This includes major developments in the South West, South Wales and Liverpool. Perhaps Prime Minister Andy’s 'Palace of the North West(minister)’ can be a catalyst for more local control of urban planning and change.

Jack: Government has several levers, from business rates and planning powers to investing in security and public realm improvements. Most of these things cost money, and the simple fixes that don’t (changes to planning laws, for example) can only help around the edges in many high streets. Again, solutions will look different in different places, so a flexible (and ideally devolved) approach is important.

If you could redesign the British high street from scratch today, what would it look like?

Andrew: More green spaces, drop curbs, no betting or vape shops, tax-relief for owner-operated businesses, rent caps, secure tenancy, shade and outdoor seating, public toilets, libraries.

Nathaniel: I would design the British highroad in a manner that allows local people and businesses to make reflexive changes in dialogue with the local authorities, as opposed to leaving the high streets at the mercy of neoliberal capitalist trends that are focused exclusively on profits and not people. This approach simply is not sustainable, unless we are happy and content with seeing corporate chain entities being the main feature of British Highroads.