How Boris Johnson should breathe new life into our high streets – Kate Hardcastle

IN the latest part of The Yorkshire Post’s new series – What the new Prime Minister should do for Yorkshire – Kate Hardcastle looks at our high streets.

DEAR Mr Johnson, There is certain to be a long list of work when you arrive at that desk at Number 10. If it helps, here is a quick tip. Prioritise the work on the value you believe it will add to the country, and ideally to as many people as possible.

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I know that on that long, somewhat never-ending list you might even understand why subjects like ‘saving our high streets’ get kicked into the long grass.

Kate Hardcastle has some frank advice for Britain's new Prime Minister on the future of our high streets.Kate Hardcastle has some frank advice for Britain's new Prime Minister on the future of our high streets.
Kate Hardcastle has some frank advice for Britain's new Prime Minister on the future of our high streets.

Yet I feel that the fact that this issue has been so far down in the list of priorities for so long is perhaps why we have seen a significant knock-on effect into other areas of our lives and welbeing.

A successful high street is no longer the recipe of a lot of retail stores, with guaranteed success. We know that online shopping has disrupted traditional bricks and mortar store retail shopping forever. There is no putting the genie back in the bottle for that one.

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Retail guru Kate Hardcastle says high streets are a policy area where the new Prime Minister can make their mark.Retail guru Kate Hardcastle says high streets are a policy area where the new Prime Minister can make their mark.
Retail guru Kate Hardcastle says high streets are a policy area where the new Prime Minister can make their mark.

The latest big-name chain restaurant isn’t the golden ticket either. While restaurant openings seems to be booming, so are closures – with a very fickle and demanding customer wanting the best experience and quality produce for their culinary spend.

The future of the high street needs to include much more residential housing as part of the mix and bringing more people into our centres. There should be more services to support those residents, and also making use of what was previously retail space – doctors surgeries, nurseries and childcare facilities, and gyms. Significantly there will be less retail space, but we should, with that, see a better quality retail offer.

Yet having worked, lived and breathed retail and service businesses for over 20 years, I know the secret ingredient that could help you in actually finding a resolve to the high street crisis once and for all. Sir, it is simply a case of deeds – and not words.

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We have had pilots, papers, reports and round-tables until the noise of it all is overpowering, but only in the places where people have made things happen have you seen change for the better.

What will Prime Minister Boris Johnson do over Yorkshire's high streets?What will Prime Minister Boris Johnson do over Yorkshire's high streets?
What will Prime Minister Boris Johnson do over Yorkshire's high streets?

After supporting over 1,000 start-up and micro-businesses for free, I empathise very clearly with the realistic challenges facing businesses. Rates being a clear example, indeed the CBI this week called for you to deliver urgent revaluations to get the UK economy on track.

The opportunity for better places for lives goes so far beyond the retail scene – take, for instance, our loneliness crisis, with nearly nine million people in the UK stating they often feel lonely and struggling to make lasting, social connections (British Red Cross research).

We can make a significant difference by creating better places for our communities to thrive and enjoy time with others in safe places, by planning and ensuring our towns and cities are built predominantly for people that are serviced by businesses.

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They are not a building a place for businesses with poor public transport links and services, terrible and expensive parking and no thought to what a place can be like after stores close for the day.

High streets should be a priority for Boris Johnson, writes Kate Hardcastle.High streets should be a priority for Boris Johnson, writes Kate Hardcastle.
High streets should be a priority for Boris Johnson, writes Kate Hardcastle.

We have a health crisis – most adults and children don’t have the opportunity to exercise to the adequate weekly levels and certainly safe and free places for this to happen is one of the barriers.

We should take space back in our towns and cities to enable more public green spaces for the promotion of activity and health. Safe places for our children to play and exercise with enjoyment and fun in mind.

We know that green spaces are in huge demand, and the involvement of our community in planning and caring for these spaces can make a big change to an area, so let us enable this as part of our planning too.

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I could go on with much more proven evidence that action must take place now. Not just in words. The future of our towns and cities, and the true place of recreation as an opportunity for all us, must be prioritised and brought to the places that need it the most first. Practically. Affordably. Most of all with the endorsement of the people that live and work there.

Now that really would be a legacy to create.

Kate Hardcastle MBE is a Yorkshire businesswoman. Known as The Customer Whisperer, she is the UK’s leading ‘go-to’ 
business expert on consumer trends.