As consumer confidence continues to grow, improvements on the high street have seen retailers benefit from a boost in spending and an encouraging fall in the number of unoccupied properties. However, according to the Future High Streets Forum, it is not just the economic recovery which has ushered in this new era of prosperity for high street retailers – rather, it is the strong local leaderships which have created a “recipe for success.”
In the forum’s analysis of four Portas Pilot towns, it was discovered that the good local leadership skills demonstrated by the High Street Teams have been instrumental in reversing the fortunes of their once ailing town centres.
Dartford, Rotherham, Sydenham and Bedminster have all successfully reinvigorated their high streets and dealt with challenges admirably, with shared leadership behaviours such as local authority engagement, sustainable and smart investment and entrepreneurial spirit allowing this to occur.
Managing director of Costa Coffee and project leader at the Future High Streets Forum, Jason Cotta, believes that other towns throughout the UK can benefit by following the example set by the four Portas Pilot hubs analysed in the report.
He says; “We know what makes a high street great and what can turn a poor one around – good leadership – so the forum has developed a way to galvanise local leaders around a coherent game plan.
“To create great high streets through good leadership is just one way to address the challenges faced by the high street today.
“These tips will help every high street no matter where they are in the country.”
In order to share the findings of the report to the best effect, the Forum has compiled a basic guideline for local authorities keen to raise revenues and profits on the high street in order to help boost their local economies. This is because it believes that good leadership habits can truly benefit any town centre regardless of size or location, especially given the more stable economic situation allowing consumers to spend in earnest.
The Forum recommends establishing a structure for the future of local high streets based on direction and vision, and conducting regular reviews in order to ensure constant improvement and clarity of focus remain at the top of each high street team’s agenda. This could be done through gathering data via consumer polls to ensure all changes meet with the approval of local residents, for example.
Co-chair of the Future High Streets Forum and High Streets Minister, Brandon Lewis, hopes that this report will allow high streets around the country to reinvent themselves for the modern consumer.
He says; “High streets are the heartbeat of every community.
“The Future High Streets Forum is right to say that good leadership is the essential ingredient for creating great high streets.
“Their leadership proposals will help every town centre across the country achieve the success that places like Dartford have, which in turn will future proof our high streets for decades to come.”
Do you agree that good leadership is the key to building strong high streets, or are other factors more important?
