Independent store boom
MORE than 34,500 independent high street shops opened in the past year, new figures out today reveal.
The number – up 4.5% on 2017 – comes despite a surge in costs, red tape and competition from online giants such as Amazon.
Meanwhile, many bigname chains are closing stores. Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia said it planned to shut 23 Topshop, Burton and Dorothy Perkins branches.
Many of the new small shopkeepers are owners who put their heart and soul into their businesses, driven by a passion for what they do, and sell, and for their local communities.
Today also marks the launch of this year’s Great British High Street Awards, a Government-run initiative in partnership with payments giant Visa and backed by the Daily Mirror.
Visa’s Jeni Mundy said: “Our research shows that there is plenty to celebrate on our high streets and we’re very encouraged to see independent shops playing such an important role in this.
“We’ve witnessed the huge strides high streets are making in transforming themselves.”
A survey to coincide with today’s launch has revealed surprising confidence among the nation’s smaller shopkeepers.
More than a third of them plan to open another branch in the next 12 months, and 30% intend to employ more staff.
Despite the high street carnage of recent years,
74% said they were more optimistic about the future, a big increase on the 52% from a year ago.
Shoppers, too, back the high street, with 34% saying it is their preferred destination for shopping, beating the 21% who said it’s online hands down. Nearly six in 10 surveyed say they still visit their local high street once a week.
It is a ringing endorsement of the Daily Mirror’s lauded High Street Fightback campaign.
We have been tirelessly demanding action to support town centres.
Nominations for two categories in the Great British High Street Awards open today.
The Champion award celebrates the country’s best high Increase in number of independent shops opening small retailers plan to take on more staff streets, with a separate section for Rising Star. There will be winners in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, plus overall UK winners. The Mirror is once again backing the High Street Hero award, which honours leading lights in their community. High Street Minister Jake Berry praised shopkeepers for helping to create “vibrant and dynamic high streets that are loved by their communities.” But there are still big challenges. The Mirror’s campaign has 10 demands, including a new tax on online sales and action on business rates, parking charges and public transport.
While today’s figures show 34,511 independent high street shops opened last year, it will not be easy for them to survive.
The Local Data Company has found openings of shops of all types – plus restaurants, pubs and other retail outlets – were outnumbered by closures in 2018. AMONG the four winners of last year’s High Street Hero category was Emma Corfield Walters who runs a book shop in the small town of Crickhowell, South Wales.
Picturesque Crickhowell also scooped the overall Great British High Street prize at a ceremony held in November.
As well as running her shop, Book-ish, Emma is also chairman of a local group of businesses and helps organise a literary festival.
“It really took off,” she said. “We had our best Christmas trading period by a big margin.
“We were up 28% in December and 40% in January, year on year.”
Crickhowell, unlike many areas, is not blighted by empty shops.
Emma explained: “People are desperately trying to find a shop in Crickhowell to set up.”
She said key to its success was a sense of community.
“You just wouldn’t get that sense of community and collaboration in a shopping centre or an out-oftown retail park.”
For the Champion and Rising Star High Street Awards categories, nominations have to come from local councils, groups of independent high street retailers and Business Improvement Districts, via the website www. thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk
LAST YEAR’S OTHER HIGH STREET HEROES
ENGLAND
Jennifer Crowther, Scarborough, North Yorks
It takes dedication to be up at 5am to help set up stalls on market day. But then Jenn has been involved with businesses for a long time, helping them to help themselves. She is also the brains behind Yorkshire in Business and a Love Local initiative.
SCOTLAND
David Robertson, Elgin
David took a derelict building and turned it into a thriving card shop. He is also a key figure in Elgin’s Business Improvement District and, for 15 years, has encouraged young people to start businesses. NORTHERN IRELAND Sarah Munn, Lisburn Estate agent Sarah noticed the fall in visitors so persuaded owners of a derelict area off the high street to turn it into a community market and thriving event space. HOW TO TAKE PART
You nominate your High Street Hero Award when the process kicks off in July.