🎉 WOOHOO – we’re turning 1! 🎉

Since officially launching HighStreetPositives last April, it’s been an incredible year of building momentum, sparking conversations, and bringing people together who care about our high streets 💗

At its heart, HighStreetPositives is about shifting the narrative - highlighting what’s working, surfacing the challenges and opportunities, sharing ideas, and creating space for honest, positive, proactive conversations. It brings together stakeholders from ALL across the whole high street to collaborate, learn, and move things forward together.

We’re starting to see real traction. More people are engaging, the conversation is growing, and we’re being heard - which is exactly why this next stage matters.

A huge thank you to our founding partners for making this possible - Nexus Planning, Greenwoods, Geolytix, Widd, Kesslers London, We Are Acuity and Greenwoods Legal. Your support has helped bring this to life 💗

If you’ve been following along, I’d love for you to come and be part of it. 💗

🌟 Join as a founding member (last chance this month)

Join before the end of March to be a founding member: (£12/month (individuals), £25/month (organisations) and if cost is an issue please still get in touch)

As a member, you’ll get monthly network calls, free access to webinars, case studies and knowledge shares, early access and half price tickets to events, member community access, involvement in an exciting new pilot working with places to test ideas and create real solutions and lots more.

👉 If you’re interested in joining as an individual, organisation, or exploring partnership opportunities, just email me to find out more or join here Join Us - HighStreetPositives

🌸 In Person Event: HighStreetPositives Live : Bath – 6th May

We’re bringing HighStreetPositives LIVE to Bath, in partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Council and Bath BID.

We’ll be joined by an absolutely brilliant group of speakers including senior leaders in : the retail world, the council, the Bid, planning, regeneration, policy and more.

It’ll be a mix of a town walk, panels, and networking – with a real focus on ideas, collaboration and action.

🎟️ Tickets are £70 (with early bird price available now). Half price for HSP members.

👉 If you’re interested in attending, just reply and I’ll send over more details.

High Street News & Opportunities

There are loads of positive news stories from high streets across the UK. Here's a selection of highlights, celebrating new store openings, regeneration projects, and other positive developments. Thank you for all your contributions.

🏬 Retail & Brand Expansion

Holland & Barrett has opened a new store on Edgware Road, adding to its central London presence. The location sits within a mixed retail environment supported by The Portman Estate, which continues to invest in the area’s long-term retail offer.

Søstrene Grene continues to expand in the UK and internationally, with new openings including Solihull and its 400th global store opened this week. Growth reflects ongoing demand for design-led, lifestyle retail concepts.

Garage Clothing is entering the UK market, with planned openings in locations including Bluewater, Oxford Street and Manchester. This marks further international brand activity in major UK retail destinations.

Primark is anchoring the Ashley Centre in Epsom following refurbishment, reinforcing the role of value-led anchors in supporting footfall and tenant mix in town centres.

The White Company, Next, Monica Vinader and The Works are all expanding, with new stores across high streets and retail destinations, indicating continued investment in physical retail presence.

🍽️ Food, Drink & Experience-Led Retail

Pasta Evangelists has signed a multi-restaurant franchise agreement to expand across the UK, with its first new opening planned in Cambridge. The move reflects continued growth in food-led experiential retail.

Maki & Ramen has reached 19 UK sites, alongside 11 years of trading and continued expansion across restaurant, production and franchise activity.

Coffi Lab has opened a new “Lab” concept store in Pontcanna, combining retail, hospitality and community impact, and raising £5,000 for Guide Dogs on opening day.

Lock29 in Banbury is launching a Guest Kitchen Programme, offering 12-week residencies for independent food operators, supporting rotation, variety and emerging businesses.

🏗️ Vacancy, Repurposing & Development

A former M&S building on Birmingham High Street has been brought back into use through a meanwhile occupation, led by Bluecastle Capital and Well Home. The approach reactivates vacant space ahead of longer-term plans.

Oxford City Council has approved plans to convert the former Debenhams site into a 100,000 sq ft science and innovation hub, marking a shift from retail to knowledge-based use in a key city centre location.

Castle Quarter in Norwich has welcomed independent retailer Charisma, following refurbishment of a unit, adding to the centre’s evolving retail mix.

Clarendon Fine Art has taken a new lease on Shrewsbury High Street, with fit-out underway following an off-market letting.

📍 Place Activation, Culture & Community

Nuneaton’s Teenage Market brought together 20 young traders, attracting over 3,800 visitors and generating £1,600+ in sales. The event is part of a wider programme delivered with Warwickshire County Council.

Poole BID has launched an outdoor photography exhibition across Kingland and Falkland Square, adding cultural activity to the town centre public realm.

Carnaby Street continues to host brand collaborations such as Pret x Poppi, using temporary and experiential activations to drive engagement and footfall.

Croydon town centre has seen new openings including Clip N Climb, Lovisa and Tooth Club, alongside a retail hub highlighting available commercial space.

🌆 Regeneration, Vision & Place Leadership

Swindon’s £1.5bn “Heart of Swindon” vision is progressing, focusing on infrastructure, culture, workspace and housing to reshape the town centre into a mixed-use environment.

Nine towns have been longlisted for UK City of Culture 2029, reflecting the growing role of culture in place identity and regeneration strategies.

Develop Croydon reports stabilising footfall in parts of the South East, alongside continued openings and investment, suggesting pockets of resilience.

🏛️ Policy, Investment & High Street Strategy

The UK Government has announced £319m through the Pride in Place programme, including £301m for High Streets Innovation Partnerships. The partnerships will test new approaches to high street renewal, with a focus on footfall, local economies and practical interventions. A summer programme is expected to support further pilots.

An additional 40 areas have joined the Pride in Place programme, each set to receive up to £20m over 10 years. Many are prioritising high street renewal, vacancy and safety alongside economic growth, reinforcing a long-term, place-based approach to regeneration.

Late payment reforms are being introduced to support small businesses, including a 60-day cap for large firms and penalties on overdue payments. The changes aim to improve cash flow across supply chains, particularly for independents and smaller suppliers.