I’m so excited to bring you this third edition of the Monthly HighStreetPositives newsletter, filled with positive news and updates on new shops, regeneration projects, and success stories happening on our high streets.

Thank you so much for all your support, shares, and really lovely feedback—it’s clear there is a real appetite for positive news about the high street 🙌 It was amazing to see over 1,000 subscribers join the HighStreetPositives Digest newsletter in just ONE DAY, and this number continues to grow steadily. The engagement on both newsletters (this monthly one and the digest), as well as on LinkedIn posts, shows how passionate people are about changing the negative narrative surrounding the high street.

I’ve received so many wonderful news stories from you, and I apologise if I’ve missed any. I’m working on this in the evenings, so please feel free to contact me again, and I’ll try to make sure your news are included in future HighStreetPositives communications or newsletters.

If you find this interesting, please do recommend and share this newsletter with others who are also keen to help change the negative narrative and support our high streets.

Independent Businesses: The Heart of Our High Streets

In the last edition of this newsletter, we highlighted the important role independent businesses play on the UK’s high streets. The High Street Positives survey, run in partnership with Find Out Now, with over 54,000 respondents, reinforces this—53% of participants want to see more independent shops in their local areas. These businesses not only enrich the retail landscape but also strengthen community ties. Clothing stores and chain outlets remain important, while arts, culture, and heritage ranked high, with 17% expressing a desire for more creative places on their high streets.

The survey also underscores the value of placemaking and a diverse high street experience. Green spaces, cafes, and benches were highlighted as key features for creating welcoming, community-driven town centres. Additionally, health services, pubs, and restaurants were in demand for boosting footfall and social interaction. This mix of retail, arts, and hospitality is essential for fostering vibrant, dynamic high streets that attract visitors and enhance local life.

About Find Out Now: Find Out Now is a polling and market research panel with 2.8 million members. Highly profiled respondents can be targeted instantly, with over 100,000 daily responses allowing the delivery of same-day nationally representative sampling. Find Out Now are members of the British Polling Council and Market Research Society, and abide by their rules.

‘The High Street is Dying’ They said…However…

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

• As part of their 30th anniversary celebrations, AllSaints has partnered with Shelter to launch 30 pop-ups inside Shelter stores across the UK, donating over 5000 items to support the fight against homelessness and encourage sustainable shopping.

• Superdry opened its new Athletic Essentials concept store at Westfield London, highlighting the importance of physical retail and offering a fresh, versatile collection aimed at younger female consumers. This launch reflects the brand’s focus on innovation and shows how brick-and-mortar stores continue to play a key role in delivering unique, customer-focused experiences.

• Platform Places, with £2.5 million support from The National Lottery Community Fund, is leading a pilot scheme in five English neighbourhoods to transform empty town centre buildings into vibrant community spaces. This initiative, taking place in Bedminster, Byker, Darnall Ward, Knowsley and St Helens, and Wandsworth Town, aims to tackle social isolation and economic challenges while revitalising high streets. Community leaders, local organisations, councils, and private asset owners are collaborating to unlock these buildings for long-term local benefit.

• The Light Cinemas has recently been acquired by Risk Capital Partners, setting the stage for an exciting phase of growth. Focused on delivering tailored entertainment experiences, The Light plans to expand beyond its current 13 locations, including Bolton, Cambridge, and Sheffield. This new phase includes repurposing a former department store into a dynamic cinema space, aiming to enhance the high street’s appeal and draw new visitors, contributing to the revitalisation of local communities through innovative leisure offerings.

• Following the sale of The Light, The Big Picture continues to work closely with local authorities to provide bespoke leisure and cinema solutions tailored to each community’s needs. Their approach prioritises understanding the unique characteristics of each area before recommending or developing suitable entertainment offerings. Recent projects include creating custom cinema experiences in Blackpool and Scarborough, which have played a key role in local regeneration efforts. The Big Picture’s tailored solutions ensure that each location benefits from a sustainable and well-suited leisure experience that supports the rejuvenation of high streets. John Sullivan, speaking on their future direction, said, “The sale of The Light allows us to focus even more on helping communities find the right solutions for their unique needs. We remain committed to working with local authorities to revitalise high streets with tailored, thoughtful entertainment options.”

• A vibrant makeover of Drummond Street’s shopfronts, led by Jan Kattein Architects, Euston Town BID, and Camden Council, has revitalised the high street by celebrating its rich South Asian heritage. Supported by money from the HS2 Business and Local Economy Fund, the project has successfully transformed the area, creating a vibrant, welcoming space for both the local community and visitors.

• Raye the Store returns to London’s West End with its biggest offering yet, hosting a pop-up in Quadrant Arcade from 31st October to 1st December 2024. Featuring over 100 brands across food, beauty, and wellness, the two-floor space includes workshops, tastings, and sustainable products for conscious consumers to discover.

• There’s been strong interest from local, independent businesses at Christopher Place, St Albans, with two new short-term lets secured for Bambinista, which offers mother and baby products, and Mish Mash, a charming Christmas shop returning for its third year. This showcases ongoing investment and enthusiasm for pop-ups as a way to trial physical retail. For more information on this, contact [email protected], as this model could work for other towns.

• Waterside Quarter in Maidenhead is now fully let, with Cocoba Chocolate Café and Presto Italian Street Food joining this vibrant new development in the town centre by the rejuvenated waterways, while Laurents Bakehouse, a new grab-and-go concept from the owners of Laurents Deli, will soon open at 33 High Street.

• In Henley, the last vacant bank building, formerly Barclays, is under offer and set to become a Megan's, marking a continued trend of transforming former bank sites into vibrant retail spaces. This means all five bank buildings in Henley have all been let highlighting the town's thriving spirit.

• Residents of Marlow are also embracing the transformation of former bank buildings into new retailers, as shops like The Cotswold Company and R M Williams breathe new life into the town’s high street. Although the closure of local branches like Natwest and HSBC initially left a void, property developer Sorbon Estates has been praised for attracting unique and high-quality retailers.

• R.M.Williams is ramping up its investment in the UK retail market, starting with the opening of its Marlow store as mentioned above, which is the brand’s first location outside London. This is just the beginning, with a new standalone store set to open soon in Cambridge and additional concessions launching in premium department stores such as Selfridges, Harrods, and Liberty.

• Barnsley’s town centre is thriving, with The Glass Works now 90% let and new businesses like Trespass and Vitruvian Dental Studio set to open soon. The town also celebrated Barnsley Market’s Team of the Year win at the NABMA Awards, reflecting its continued success.

• Lone Design Club’s CO.LAB is a dynamic retail space that enables digitally native brands like COLORUSH (C~RUSH) to test their presence in physical retail, showcase their products, and connect directly with customers. In just two weeks, COLORUSH achieved a 4X return on investment and attracted over 2,000 shoppers, demonstrating the benefits of engaging with audiences in a physical environment.

• Two new shops, Mother Zen and Direct Flooring & Carpets, are set to open on Bolton Street in Ramsbottom, filling long-vacant spaces and bringing positive momentum to the high street.

• Warwick is being celebrated as a great place for independent businesses to grow, with former market traders BeHoptimystic and Dog Deli choosing the town’s historic Market Square as the home for their permanent shops, further strengthening the town's thriving independent retail scene.

• Kesslers London and Proportion London are revolutionising retail displays with their EcoForm mannequins, handcrafted from sustainable, recyclable, and biodegradable materials. These mannequins significantly reduce carbon output by 96.63%, use water-based paints, and come in eco-friendly packaging, all while supporting reforestation efforts by planting a tree for every purchase.

• Sharif Mirzad Bespoke Tailoring is expanding with a third location in Exeter’s Princesshay shopping centre, investing in new equipment, supporting niche designers with showcase opportunities, and growing their upcycling services amidst a trend for valuing and reusing clothing. Events and networking have been key to building the business, and 2025 looks set to be their busiest year yet.

Revitalising England's High Streets: Reflecting on the Success of the High Streets Task Force

The High Streets Task Force (HSTF), launched by the UK Government in 2019, aimed to revitalise England’s high streets by supporting local councils, businesses, and communities in overcoming challenges such as changing consumer habits and empty shopfronts. Led by the Institute of Place Management at Manchester Metropolitan University, the Task Force was a consortium of partners that, between them, provided expert guidance and practical solutions to make town centres more vibrant and welcoming. The HSTF worked with 150 high streets and was highly valued,  obtaining a 91% satisfaction rating among stakeholders.

Over its five-year term, the HSTF helped local leaders apply evidence-based approaches developed in collaboration with leading academics. The programme saw significant improvements, with many high streets enhancing their governance structures, building stronger partnerships, and attracting more visitors. Initiatives such as repurposing vacant spaces, creating artistic hubs, and forming long-term development plans brought new life to these areas and fostered a renewed sense of community engagement.

As the HSTF programme concludes, its key recommendation is to establish a permanent, national group to continue this important work, ensuring long-term support for high street regeneration. This recommendation aligns with recent discussions in the House of Lords, which have highlighted the need for further investment, including converting vacant properties into homes and cultural spaces. The government is expected to outline its next steps soon, with hopes of new policy to sustain the HSTF’s momentum,  which provides the blueprint to help high streets transition into vibrant community hubs.

Commenting on the High Streets Task Force, Professor Cathy Parker, the Principal Investigator and Research Lead for the project said “the HSTF was a hugely innovative and ambitious programme that catalysed and supported a new form of people-powered high street and town centre regeneration. It has showed that this approach is cost-effective, impactful, and can work anywhere – as long as there are local people and businesses that want to get involved and the local council is willing to work collaboratively and facilitate and empower these groups”.

Jose Stewart, Grimsby Town Centre Ambassador, stated: “The collaboration with the High Street Taskforce has been instrumental in shaping the 2025 Group and my role as Town Centre Ambassador. Their support, particularly from Steve Millington and Iain Nicholson, was invaluable in guiding us towards creating a more engaged and positive community. Together, we have been able to shift the perception of our town centre – not just as a shopping destination, but as a vibrant space for bringing people together and fostering community spirit. This initiative has played a vital role in promoting Grimsby's town centre and changing its face for the better."

Union Street’s Remarkable Turnaround: The Power of Partnership and Vision

The transformation of Union Street in Aberdeen is a real success story, turning around a situation that once seemed hopeless. Just a year ago, nearly 50 of the 200 retail units stood empty, casting a shadow over the city centre. But thanks to targeted regeneration efforts and a strong community push, the number of vacant units has dropped to 28, bringing new life back to this historic high street. The initiative has managed to reverse a decline that many thought was irreversible, proving that with the right approach, even the most challenging situations can see a positive outcome.

Key to this turnaround was a mix of strategic incentives and community partnerships. A revaluation in April 2023 significantly reduced rates for empty properties, while the introduction of Fresh Start Relief and fit-out grants made it more appealing for new tenants to open their doors. What looked like a dying high street just a year ago is now a vibrant area with renewed momentum.

The initiative’s success is a testament to the power of collaboration and fresh thinking. By engaging directly with letting agents and potential tenants, developing clear marketing campaigns, and focusing on smaller, local businesses, Aberdeen’s city centre has bounced back when it seemed like all hope was lost. This remarkable turnaround shows that with the right support and vision, high streets can thrive again, even in the face of significant challenges.

‘Key to our success has been working together with our partners in Aberdeen to tackle high street vacancies.’ David White, Our Union Street

Iain Nicholson MIPM, Founder at The Vacancy Shops Academy who did a pathfinding project for Aberdeen Inspired BID on the empty shops issue on Union Street in 2022, says: “I’d very much echo what David White says about partnerships. Having agents, landlords, businesses, community, council, BID, Chamber all working along with developers, architects, cultural organisations and others on this, has been crucial to there being such a significant reduction in empty unit numbers. Aberdeen really is a national beacon on tackling high street vacancy, which I know a number of other places are studying.”

High Street Site Opportunities: Criteria and Locations

The Requirement List is a database of active retail & leisure property requirements, used by the majority of the retail property market.

Here are some of the requirements listed with them at the moment:

• The fashion brand, Scamp & Dude are on the lookout for new stores in affluent cities, towns and tourist locations. Check out their target locations here 

• The Chicken Shop is looking for prime, high footfall locations of 1,000 - 2,000 sq.ft.  Their current focus is on London & S.East. Target locations include Covent Garden, Canary Wharf and Piccadilly. More info here 

• With nearly 4,600 stores worldwide, Deichmann are looking for prime High Street or Shopping Centres locations across the UK. Their property requirement flyer can be found here.

• Brook Taverner are seeking character High Street properties in prime or strong secondary locations. Target towns include Bath, Berkhamsted and Bishops Stortford. More info here 

• JD Wetherspoon are looking for pubs, bars, restaurants, hotels, churches, banks, cinemas, theatres, bingo halls and retail units to convert. Ideally, 5,000 sq ft on ground with 4,000 sq ft ancillary or potential to extend. More info here

• Coffi Lab are seeking neighbourhood centres and high streets in market towns across South Wales and the West. Between 1,500 - 1,750 sq ft. Read a Q&A with their retained property agent here

You can view more active retail & leisure property requirements from the Requirement List here

Clicks to Bricks are a ‘Small Company with a Mighty Ambition to help small to medium-sized businesses grow’. They currently have requirements to find locations for smaller brands and independents to open new stores including

• The first location for the Korean brand Waba (who is a previous Kokoro franchise holder),

• Two new DTC female fashion brands—Lavaand (also on ASOS) and Chekani (also on Zalando)—

• And a third store for lifestyle brand AN&Other.

Contact [email protected] for more information.

Thank you so much for reading this edition of the High Street Positives Monthly newsletter (all the way to the end 🥰)! I hope you found it interesting. Please don’t forget to follow HighStreetPositives, recommend to others, and share your thoughts in the comments.

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 And Finally - If you have any news, suggestions, or collaboration opportunities, I’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch at [email protected].