'If You Want a High Street, Shop There': Readers Rally to Save Britain's Town Centres
In a heartfelt response to the Guardian's coverage of high street decline, readers from across the UK have shared their perspectives on how to regenerate town centres and restore them as vibrant community hubs. The consensus is clear: action, not just lamentation, is needed.
Personal Histories Highlight Decades of Change
Michael Newman, an 82-year-old former high street business owner from Shefford, Bedfordshire, reflects on a lifetime of transformation. "High streets have been changing throughout my lifetime," he writes, recalling his postwar rural Essex village with three butchers, two bakers, and a plethora of local shops. He notes that while government help has been scarce, adaptation has always been key—from the rise of self-service dairies to grocery chains and out-of-town shopping.
Newman poses a blunt question to readers: "Did I support my local high street by using its shops, or did I blithely go to a superstore or online, yet still expect my local traders to be there when I occasionally went into town?" His message is uncompromising: "If you want a high street, shop there!" He argues against subsidies, emphasising that consumer choice drives survival.
Policy Solutions and Urban Planning Critiques
Jeremy Walker from Leiston, Suffolk, points out that high street decline predates austerity by decades, blaming poor urban planning. "If you encircle towns with retail parks that offer free parking, build houses between them and the bypass, and make parking in town centres difficult and expensive, you get urban dystopia," he explains, citing Ipswich as a prime example of hollowing out.
Walker proposes a straightforward fix: convert empty shops into housing. "The obvious answer is to turn empty shops and the large buildings they occupy into housing," he says, criticising councils for resisting this change. He calls for penalties on landlords who leave properties vacant and incentives for developers to create homes, thereby generating new customers for local businesses.
Success Stories and Community-Led Regeneration
Claudia Kenyatta and Emma Squire, Co-CEOs of Historic England, offer a more optimistic view based on their organisation's High Streets Heritage Action Zones programme. With £95 million in government funding, this initiative has revitalised over 60 historic high streets nationwide. "It showed that working closely with local communities to restore historic shops and celebrate high streets can bring visitors back, reduce vacancy rates, attract investment and create new jobs," they note.
They emphasise that decline is not inevitable if high streets are reimagined as unique, attractive spaces. Their blueprint includes funding pilots to create homes in empty buildings, demonstrating a practical path forward.
Local Perspectives and Ironies in Peterborough
Toby Wood, Vice-chair of Peterborough Civic Society, addresses the irony in his city's situation. While many bemoan the decline of Peterborough's city centre, they avoid visiting it, preferring out-of-town malls. Yet, he observes, "Peterborough's city centre population is greater than it has ever been," with empty units being converted into flats at a rapid pace—a local joke warns that standing still too long might result in conversion.
Wood highlights the lack of community identity among new residents, who may rely on home deliveries, and praises organisations like Peterborough Positive for making a difference. His plea echoes others: "if you want your city centre to thrive, then visit and use the businesses that are trying to prosper."
A Call to Action Beyond Blame
Across these letters, a common theme emerges: saving high streets requires more than just criticising governments or policies. Readers urge a shift from "wringing hands and the blame game" to personal responsibility and innovative solutions. Whether through local shopping, housing conversions, or community-led projects, the future of Britain's high streets hinges on active engagement from all stakeholders.
As these voices demonstrate, the high street's fate is in our hands—and our wallets.
