High street report findings

The BBC reported on the publication of Sir John Timpson’s High Street Report.

The report noted that a combination of internet shopping and the convenience of ‘out of town’ retailing has increased the number of empty shops and decreased footfall.

Short term recommendations include a campaign to eliminate unsightly graffiti and litter, an initiative to combat empty shops and better parking facilities. In the longer term, the report advocates the creation of a High Streets Task Force.

Sir John told BBC Breakfast that reviving high streets and town centres was ‘about communities and creating a hub for entertainment, medical facilities [and] housing. We probably have about twice as many shops as we need. But we are short of housing’.

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→ Assets Publishing Service - The High Street Report