Yorkshire high streets need to evolve to return to relevance, majority of local shoppers say

A total of 54 per cent of those questioned for the study held that view – despite 80 per cent also saying they would be sad if their local high street no longer became an option for shopping.

More than 2,000 people were questioned for the national survey, with over 160 of them from Yorkshire and Humber.

Over one in four (29 per cent) said they will always want to shop on their local high street, and over two in five of consumers (43 per cent) said they are unlikely to stop visiting their high street in the next year.

However, over half of respondents (55 per cent) in the region feel that the high street doesn’t have everything that they need to do their weekly shop.

They also agreed that the high street was no longer relevant and needs to change (54 per cent).

If a store on the high street which was part of respondents’ regular shopping routine were to close, a majority (54 per cent) said that they would shop online instead, compared to over 2 in 5 that would switch to another high street brand (41 per cent) or a third who would drive to find the same shop somewhere else (34 per cent).

Over three in 10 (34 per cent) warned they may stop shopping on their local high street in the next five years, increasing to almost two in five (39 per cent) in the next 10 years.

When those in Yorkshire and the Humber were asked what they use their high street for, food shopping was by far the most popular option (78 per cent), followed by eating and drinking (51 per cent).

Almost half (46 per cent) said they would like to see more food shops on their high street, while around six in 10 said that they would like to see more high street banks and post offices (61 per cent), clothes shops (59 per cent) and general retail stores (62 per cent).

Health and beauty shops (18 per cent) and beauty services (15 per cent) were the least popular outlets to see more of.

Kelly Askew, Retail Strategy & Consulting Lead for Accenture, said: “The future of the high street has been in question in recent years, but for now, stores are clearly still in fashion.

"Many retailers are still placing their bets on bricks-and-mortar, but there are warnings that the high street is in need of a reinvention if it’s to survive.

“At a time when shoppers are being even more selective about where and how they spend their cash, the future of the UK high street lies in its relevance and ability to meet local needs.

"For businesses, this means a focus on affordability, customer experience, and tailoring their offer to local demand.

"Technologies play an important role here – whether that’s using data analytics to determine the store layout and what they stock, or investing in AI and automation to enhance the store experience whilst enabling staff to be more efficient.”

It comes as several places in Yorkshire seek to reinvent their town and city centres to make them more appealing to shoppers and visitors.