The last couple of years have seen a welcome refocusing on high streets and town centres following years of gradual decline as market forces have taken investment and people elsewhere. At Living Streets, we are committed to turning this tide from boarded up shopping fronts, fast food takeaways and cloned streets towards reinvigorating town centres as places that people of all ages and abilities can access and enjoy.
High streets are not just about retail, but about the communities in which we live: where we socialise, access civic infrastructure, enjoy heritage and participate in the world. Walking is the obvious way to experience centres and increasing footfall can only benefit shops, which is why Living Streets is involved in several campaigns to promote better high streets and delivering projects that make them better places.
The challenge we face in high streets is one that is fundamental to deciding about the villages, towns and cities we want to live in. Although people want to have local thriving high streets with diverse and well priced products sold by retailers who offer a good service, actions increasingly lie in direct contrast as we choose internet shopping or supermarkets which offer all these products under one roof. However, when Living Streets has spoken to people, particularly in places where there has been investment in their high street, people recognise the value of this to their lives; they want to be more engaged in their local community, and they spend more.
In London, we have been working in several centres that have undergone physical improvements. We work with local people to use this better environment as a catalyst for making other things happen in the area – the stuff that gets people out and about enjoying their streets. In Chippenham Gardens in Kilburn, Brent, we supported local residents and shopkeepers to work together to set up street parties, and outdoor Zumba and Tai Chi in a shopping precinct known as much for dealing and drinking as doing the weekly shop. And the turnaround in fortunes has been noticeable, with more people shopping and spending time.
In Herne Hill, we worked with the Herne Hill Forum to support the creation of a new market in the semi-pedestrianised space that is now the heart of the community. And what a transformation! Not only do people flock to visit on a Sunday for the market, but people just enjoy spending more time in the area. ‘The original scheme was an improvement but the area was still dead’, said one local resident. ‘What has really made a difference is the different activities. The piano was brilliant and putting tables and chairs outside is great – much easier with the buggy and you feel safer too’.
The Herne Hill Shop Local loyalty card scheme ensured that benefits weren’t only felt by market traders, but long suffering shopkeepers, with 57% of residents surveyed saying they spent more in the market, and 35% more in shops. People that were spending more were spending £16 more per week. A third of shopkeepers also agreed that people were spending more time and money, with others remaining neutral. But this certainly bucks the national trend and demonstrates what a rallying impact this work can have. Indeed, almost half of stalls had employed local people to work there.
Over 90% of people feel that the investment in their streets is worth the money spent. People report walking more (47%), shopping more (52%), feeling safer and more part of a community (both 58%). Almost three quarters felt the street was more like a ‘living street’.
So it seems clear in these difficult economic times that a focus on local schemes is the way forward. People can circulate money in the local economy – money well spent as it has all kinds of positive spin off effects on local employment, safety and security and community cohesion. The same goes for the bigger streets as well as the smaller ones. Oxford Street, the nation’s biggest and busiest high street was closed to motorised traffic one Saturday in November for the eighth year for VIP (Very Important Pedestrian) Day. Sales on the day were up by £50m suggesting that a safer, more pleasant shopping environment encourages people to spend more. Of the people we polled on the day, 90% said they wanted Oxford Street to have reductions in traffic.
Living Streets will continue to support communities to shape their local area, and make the economic case for walking which underpins it. As one Herne Hill shopkeeper said: ‘Our turnover has improved in spite of the recession.’