New opportunities emerge in Britain’s abandoned high streets

Global Business

When the online shopping revolution took hold, it looked like the days of the humble high street were numbered. But British businesses are finding a way to entice people back.

CCTV’s Natalie Powell reports.

The British High Street is changing. One in every ten retail spaces in U.K. town centers is currently unoccupied. And shoppers have to adjust.

The closure of department store BHS has left a huge dent in many British High Streets, and some analysts are predicting that large retail spaces like this could perhaps remain empty for quite some time.

It is partly the knock-on effect of the growing trend for online shopping. But with change also comes opportunity.

While some high-streets may be experiencing a low-point, experts are now beginning to see an evolution taking place in U.K. town centers.

“The online world has created huge change in the way we shop and the way we live, so hence the footfall on our high street is declining year on year so we won’t see more people visiting our high street but they’ll come in for different reasons The functional transnational purchases we can do online, so people tend to be visiting high streets for more experienced led activities,” Diane Wehrle, Marketing and Insights Director at Springboard Research Ltd said.

As a result cafes, tattoo studios, nail bars and e-cigarette shops are moving in. These all offer a service that can’t be bought online.

It’s the personal touch drawing customers into the high-street and an experience-led service which is helping to bring in the sales.