Interesting times. Debenhams and Arcadia are the latest to go. So High Streets will be changing. Weston-super-Mare High Street has nothing to offer me, and parking is a nightmare, difficult and costly. And has nothing to offer – chain stores, phone shops, charity shops, betting shops, tattoo parlours, etc. Apart from Boots, Waterstones and Smith’s there are no shops worth a look.
My ideal High Street would have craft shops and individual outlets, some cafes with own baked produce. But being realistic – the town centre is, as the name says, the centre of the urban development. So it needs great communication networks. I personally think we will move from large buses to smaller people carriers powered by batteries (8-10 people), which are very frequent, or summoned on demand?
So let me think – getting to the town centre; I can park outside the city and get a quick regular service into it. Why should I go there? Hmmmmn. I have not been to a town centre this year so I am probably not the right person to ask. But I would go to Wells or Glastonbury type centre for bespoke presents. Maybe town centres need to be seen as centres for young people?