NATIONAL TRENDS IN RETAILING AND EFFECTS
ON HIGH STREETS.
David Lowin BA, MA, MA, MRTPI
Principal, Lowin Associates
2017 Chair of RTPI South West.
IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!
■ Squeezed Incomes
■ Low Productivity
■ Rising Inflation
■ Brexit Uncertainty
■ Rising Interest Rates
= REDUCED CONSUMER SPENDING
Source: thumbs.dreamstime.com
Source: cliparts.co
Source: moneyexpert.com
What’s the impact on the Retail Sector?
■ British Retail Consortium announced in their
2016 Forecasting that there will be a significant
reduction in Retail jobs in the following 10 years.
■ Meaning by 2025 a loss of 900,000 Retail jobs
■ Retail premises vacancy rates nationally at 14%
with no sign of falling
■ The brunt of the impact is hitting High Streets
and shopping centres Source: Freelargeimages.co.uk
Source: d13yacurqjgara.cloudfront.net
E-Retail
600,000 shops
1950
290,000 shops
2012
E-Retail generated £8 billion
2015
E-Retail generated £11 billion. A £4 billion increase in one year!
2016
Predicted 20% of our spending will be online
2030
Experian Retail Briefing October 2015
Categories at risk
Service Sector
Banks and Building Societies
Travel Agents
Booksellers / Newsagents
Betting Shops
Footwear
Fashion Retailers
Estate Agents
Recruitment
Image Source:
telegraph.co.uk
Service Sector Winners
■ Nail Bars
■ Coffee Shops
■ E-cigarette / E-vape stores
■ Hairdressers
■ Tattoo Parlours
■ Opticians
Source:
photobucket.co.uk
Comparison Goods
Demise of well known brands in the UK
■ BHS
■ Austin Reed
■ Woolworths
■ Jessops
■ MFI
■ Blockbuster
■ American Apparel
■ Comet
Is the Department Store at risk?
Sources: ssmscdn.yp.ca i.bp.blogsport.com
Could the anchors of today fail?
Sources: nextplc.co.uk 68.media.tumblr.com a.yiptcdn.com
Retail Study of the Stroud District Town
Centres 2017
Full Report Available:
https://www.stroud.gov.uk/media/356249/item-12-
appendix-a-future-of-town-centres.pdf
Source: Stroud.gov.uk
Positive Trend Outcomes from the
Retail Study Rise of food culture
Markets
‘Local is best’
Rise of Café culture
Rise of leisure spend
Diversifying into multi-channel retailing
For example: Argos and Sainsbury’s
Sources: pintrest.com Calexico.org/farmers
Sources: Calexico.org northportfarmersmarket.com
The Future Less demand for retail floorspace
– Conflict with NPPF emphasis on retail growth
“Policy always running on catch up”
■ Review of policy restriction on change of use in
primary areas
■ Review of Town Centre boundaries
Review of the USP of your Town which requires:
– Vision
– Leadership and commitment
Embrace social media
DON’T RELY ON PLANNING POLICY ALONE