Your say / High Street
‘High street decline is an opportunity for Bristol city centre’
It’s safe to say that 2018 was a bad year for big retailers such as House of Fraser, HMV, Toys R Us and Maplin in the face of changing consumer habits, but it’s not all doom and gloom.
In fact, in many ways, it’s an opportunity, with city and town centres across the South West – including Bristol – set for transformation as housing, offices and leisure facilities replace empty retail space.
In the words of retail expert Bill Grimsey: “there’s simply too much retail space in the UK.” Indeed, city centres need to be re-fashioned into ‘city neighbourhoods’ and community hubs offering a mix of housing, workspace, leisure activities and shopping to ensure they meet the needs of their populations.
is needed now More than ever
The location of old department stores and large shops are often ideal for other uses such as much-need homes, offices, hotels, restaurants, cafes or bars.
Our city and town centres need to become places for people to live, work, shop, eat and relax, adding diversity and bringing people in. This mixed-use approach is the direction of travel at the moment, signifying the end of an era where urban areas were zoned according to use, and we’re already seeing this with the success of Bristol quarters such as Finzels Reach and Wapping Wharf.
Wapping Wharf is often named as one of the city’s success stories. Photos by @JonCraig_Photos 07778606070
The city’s Temple Quarter area is also set to be transformed, with housing and workspace to sit alongside the University of Bristol’s new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, whilst the future Temple Meads train station redevelopment and launch of the MetroBus represent much-needed transport investment. This investment in transport hubs is critical to meet the needs of a growing population to bring ‘city neighbourhoods’ closer together and draw people into the city centres.
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Read more: ‘Local people must be given a voice in Temple Quarter redevelopment’
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There has been a shift of focus in the planning system with schemes such as the development of the Callowhill Court area, encompassing the area of Broadmead including The Horsefair through to Quakers Friar in Bristol city centre, favoured over Cribbs Causeway’s extension of the Mall on the outskirts of the city, which was rejected.
And the National Planning Policy Framework, which sets out the government’s planning policies, has responded by categorising the use of buildings according to whether they align with the terms ‘destination’, ‘lifestyle’ or ‘community’, rather than ‘primary or secondary retail’.
Plus, over the last five years, 40 per cent of the money invested by councils has been in the retail and leisure sector, allowing them to take control of these areas and drive much-needed change.
There are two things that are essential for the future success of Bristol city centre, or indeed any town or city centre; they are strong civic leadership and a vision for the future. The changes to our retail sector should be seen as an opportunity, not a threat.
In Bristol, we need more housing, we need investment in infrastructure and more places for people to work. It’s a no-brainer to capitalise on the opportunities changes to our retail landscape and transport hubs bring to ensure our city’s future prosperity.
Simon Peacock is lead director of property consultancy JLL in Bristol
Read more: The Arcade in Bristol bucking the trend on the high street
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