Retail expert Mary Portas has published a report recommending that town centres be run more like businesses to revive Britain's struggling High Streets. The report, commissioned by the government, proposes cutting regulations for traders, introducing a national market day, and creating 'town teams' to manage local business development.
Ms Portas, known for the TV show Mary Queen of Shops, said the current High Street model is outdated and based on practices from the 1960s. Her recommendations include relaxing licensing rules for market stalls and removing restrictions on night-time deliveries. However, she stopped short of calling for a moratorium on out-of-town shopping developments.
The report was published alongside government research showing that a third of High Streets are 'degenerating or failing'. Retail spending in town centres has fallen from 49% in 2000 to 42%, and is projected to drop further to 40% by 2014. Meanwhile, online sales have doubled to 10% and out-of-town shopping has also increased.
Affordable town centre parking is another key recommendation, with a Federation of Small Businesses survey finding that 50% of members cited lack of affordable parking as detrimental to their business. However, the Local Government Association criticised the idea, arguing that free parking could be taken up by retail workers before shoppers arrive.
The British Retail Consortium welcomed the report, calling it a 'good number of sensible ideas', but the Local Government Association expressed concern that councils' expertise might be overlooked. Retail analysts noted that not all High Streets are in crisis, but many need to become destinations offering more than just shopping to survive.
