How to Revive the High Street by Mary Portas

Mary, Queen of Shops, the flame-haired feisty arbiter of retail, has unveiled her report into how to save our high streets (click here for details).

The themes of her report will be recognised by any BID follower: “I want to put the heart back into the centre of our High Streets, re-imagined as destinations for socialising, culture, health, wellbeing, creativity and learning,” Ms Portas starts. “Places that will develop and sustain new and existing markets and businesses. The new High Streets … should become places where we go to engage with other people in our communities, where shopping is just one small part of a rich mix of activities.”

Sound familiar?

Cutting regulations, the launch of a national market day, a “town centre first” approach in planning and affordable town centre car-parking pack the main punch of the report, with Ms Portas proclaiming that town centres need to run more like businesses if they are to survive the twin onslaught of out-of-town shopping centres and online retail.

New “town teams” would be responsible for developing and nurturing businesses in the area with licensing rules, noise restrictions and other regulations relaxed where the case for local business is strong.

“Town management and Business Improvement Districts are key mechanisms to making Mary Portas’s vision of town teams happen,” said Jacquie Reillie, Director of UK BIDS. “We look forward to working with Government to ensure this vision is realised.”