HSP 2025 highlights + how you can join, partner or influence high streets

Hi Everyone,

As the year comes to a close, a HUGE thank you to everyone who’s supported HighStreetPositives 💕
Whether you’ve shared a story, come to an event, joined as a member, partnered with us, or simply cheered us on – it has meant the world.

🌸 Why this matters

If all anyone hears is bad news about the high street, why would people visit, invest, or innovate?
HighStreetPositives exists to showcase what’s working and connect the people making change happen. The high street is about far more than shops: it shapes society, social mobility, and helps tackle loneliness and isolation.

🌸 Our first year – top highlights

• Official launch in April, backed by our amazing early partners, including The Mosaic Partnership, Kesslers London, Widd Signs, Greenwoods Legal LLP, Treasure Map Trails, Enterprise Nation, Hotel Chocolat, Nexus Planning and We Are Acuity

• Events & conversations: London launch hosted by Lush & Ocasta, Darlington launch with the council, first webinar with 120+ attendees, brilliant inspiring speakers across retail, real estate, government, BIDs, councils, charities, independents, planning, data, media, arts & culture and more.

• Community growth: 18k LinkedIn followers, 5k+ newsletter subscribers, ~130 members, 3k HSP page followers, 700+ on Instagram

• Media, partnerships & insight: launched our website, coverage in Retail Week, The Retail Bulletin, The Placemaking Resource, BirminghamWorld, DerbyWorld, NottinghamWorld, The Northern Echo; and other media; partnership with the British Independent Retailer Association (BIRA); media partner for GRO Retail; major public & stakeholder surveys;

Yes, there are challenges – but after thousands of conversations this year, one thing is clear: the future of the high street is bright, thanks to the people behind it and the strong will to succeed.

🌸 Join us before 1 January – special membership rate

If you’ve been thinking about joining the HighStreetPositives membership community, now’s the moment.

Members get:

• Free access to our public Webinars (will be run at least once a quarter)

• First dibs on tickets for real-life HSP events

• Regular virtual meet-ups

• Connect with a supportive network of people passionate about high streets – councils, landlords, bids, planners, agents, retailers, independents, creatives, academics and more

• First access to ways to get involved, contribute and collaborate

• Share case studies, ideas, and insights to inspire others and shape what works

• Peer to Peer knowledge shares

• Access to our WhatsApp Community

• Be part of something meaningful, helping high streets fight loneliness, isolation, and negative narratives

• Show your support with a beautiful digital badge – proudly display your part in this growing, positive movement

• Have a voice in the early days of HSP, helping shape our direction and priorities

Join before 1 January to lock in the special rate of £12 per month.

If cost is an issue please get in touch.

🌸 Launching: HSP Retail Voices

We’re very excited to launch HSP Retail Voices – a curated insight strand giving senior leaders on the frontline of UK high streets a platform to share what’s working, what isn’t, and where the biggest opportunities lie.

Insights will feed into reports, briefings and other initiatives to help government, councils, BIDs, landlords and partners make better-informed decisions – keeping real, day-to-day trading experience at the heart of the conversation.

Over the coming months, we’ll gather contributions from a carefully selected group of high street-facing businesses. By taking part, you’ll have a direct voice in shaping the future of our high streets, and be part of making a difference.

We already have some brilliant voices involved, but we’re keen to hear from founders and senior leaders.

📩 Apply to be part of HSP Retail Voices: [email protected]

NB: In the coming months, we’ll be launching similar strands for landlords, placemakers, and other high street stakeholders – so stay tuned!

🌸 Share the good news

We’re pulling together positive stories for our HighStreetPositives New Year update 🎉

If you’ve got 2 minutes, please fill in the survey below:

• New or upcoming openings

• Town centre change, regeneration or placemaking

• Events, anniversaries or heritage

• Any positive high street stories at all

This is very quick and for everyone involved in the high street – retailers, BIDs, councils, landlords, planners, charities, community groups and more. Please do complete and share 💕

🌸Interested in Partnering…

We are actively seeking more supporters for 2026 to help make HighStreetPositives financially sustainable and enable us to continue growing our impact. If your organisation – or one you know – would like to partner with HighStreetPositives, sponsor an event, or collaborate, we’d love to talk.

Please get in touch : [email protected]

🌸Thank you

Thank you again for backing this, sharing your stories and showing up.
And… just wait until you see what we’ve got planned for next year to help change the narrative and encourage investment and innovation for the future of our high streets… please stay in touch and get involved🎉🙌💕

With huge thanks,
Laura
HighStreetPositives

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