This week has seen the publication of the long awaited government report from self-styled retail guru and TV pundit, Mary Portas – an independent review into the future of the high street. What do we at Mason Owen make of it?
The report accurately indentifies the problems with high street shopping, which are suggested to have reached crisis point after years of erosion, neglect and mismanagement –
“the average high street has failed to deliver on value, service, entertainment and experience”
... whereas
“supermarkets and out of town malls deliver highly convenient, needs-based retailing”
The problems are correctly recognised as diverse, and complicated by a number of different interest groups and stakeholders, often with insular attitudes, and conflicting motives and objectives, but the high street must address the issues and deliver something new, or be lost irretrievably.
28 recommendations are made in an attempt to address the problems. We consider some have merit, some are fanciful and some seem to have missed the point!
Read the full article here.