Leek really needs to ‘wake up’ or its high street is ‘doomed’

LEEK failed to make the shortlist for the best High Street competition but does it really matter?

I moved to Leek two months ago but have been commentating on the future of High Streets for some years, taking the view that unless drastic action is taken, most High Streets will die. They need to be ‘re-invented.’

The reason that most High Streets will die is the rise of e-commerce.

The most vulnerable traditional retailers are those in the furniture, clothing, household and electrical goods, pet supplies sectors etc.

Many of these have already moved to out-of-town retail parks (thankfully there are none in Leek).

Supermarkets challenge food shops (and newsagents) but they are not local. I can buy most of what I need in the town centre, mostly avoiding Saninsbury’s, Asda etc.

‘Interesting’ shops will survive, but what makes a shop interesting? Leek has some of these.

The reality is that Leek as a shopping centre will decline unless it can attract more people (not just visitors) who will shop there on a regular basis. That means more people living in and around the town centre by creating more affordable housing.

One of the biggest advantages Leek has is that property is cheap. Young people can afford to live here.

As working from home becomes more common over the next five years, many people will only need to go to their offices 1-2 days a week.

This means that Leek can attract people whose ‘office’ is in Stoke-ontrent, Manchester, Birmingham, Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield and even London.

This is not fanciful, my son’s office is in Nottingham and he is contemplating moving to Leek for ‘quality of life’ reasons.

A commute to Nottingham 1-2 days a week is not a problem.

Leek would benefit from better rail links – it is one of the largest towns that is not connected to the national rail network – but that isn’t going to happen in the short term.

Short term, what does matter, is that Leek ‘wakes up.’

Entering ‘Best High Street’ competitions is to be applauded but is a distraction.

Leek is very different from most High Streets (no M&S etc) and many of the chains we do have will close over the next five years.

Five years ago Bill Grimsey produced a report on the future of high streets.

He has just produced another one calling for the introduction of a sales tax to replace business rates for retailers.

This is mostly sensible but it has already been rejected by the Government.

Leek ‘waking-up’ really means Moorlands Council and Karen Bradley waking up.

I see a brilliant local community – Totally Locally, Foxlowe, the markets – but without political action Leek is doomed. John Lewis Leek