New research has revealed that 61% of us are worried our local high streets are going to be lost completely within 10 years & that until then their variety will continue to contract; with food and beverage, value and fashion brands likely to be the next victims. Respondents felt that if local high streets had free parking & easy accessibility, we'd more likely shop in-store. When asked what would tempt us back to our high street, the top answers were: more staff to facilitate a quicker experience (41%); clearer stock check in store (34%); 24-hour service so you can shop at any time (27%); Self-checkout service to avoid queues (26%)

When asked what we think the high street will look like over the next 10 years, we're worried independent stores won't exist. Listed in order of the most likely inhabitants, to the least likely, are: restaurants, coffee shops, second-hand shops, bars, fast food restaurants, retail chains e.g. department stores, clubs, cinemas, banks, travel agents and independent retailers.

Doesn't bode well for our sector, (or the shopping experience) does it?

"It's obvious that people still like going into store to shop, but it just isn't as accessible as online shopping is," says KIS Finance, which carried out the survey. "To save the high street, retailers need to ensure they are thinking innovatively about how to draw customers in with clearer in-store stock checks, more staff and extended hours during busy periods. The reason so many retailers are struggling is because consumer shopping habits are changing and the high street needs to change with it, creating a more community-led atmosphere with more accessibility & variety for everyone."

In contrast is the report from the Farnborough Homebuilding & Renovating Show, staged late last month, which proves that a comprehensive gathering of companies able to provide the trade and consumers with all they need to either build a new property or renovate an old one, can be a real success... A kind of Field of Dreams 'build it and they will come' gathering. Is this something we might perhaps see in the future... fixed gatherings of related stores for a particular sector, much like a permanent exhibition?

Image courtesy of Sam Edwards

Yours,

Jan Hobbs