Independent retailers eyeing high street expansion moves

In Scotland, the payments giant said it was found that the high street is the favoured destination for Scottish retailers to expand their business, with 43 per cent of those surveyed planning on opening another high street store in the next 12 months, and 29 per cent intending to employ more staff.

Despite recent high-profile retail chain closures, Visa said its research showed an encouraging outlook for the future of high streets in Scotland:

• 85 per cent of high street businesses surveyed across Scotland are optimistic about the future of their high street, up from 39 per cent 12 months ago, with four in five (81 per cent) saying their local high street is improving
• 57 per cent of Scots visit their local high street at least once a week, with those in Aberdeen visiting most regularly (75 per cent)
• 61 per cent of consumers in Aberdeen are optimistic about the future of the high street, the most optimistic city across the entire UK
• Looking to the future, Scottish shoppers said that they would like to see more book shops (38 per cent), clothes shops (36 per cent) and pop-up shops (32 per cent) on their local high street

The publishing of Visa’s findings marks the launch of the Government-run Great British High Street Awards 2019, sponsored by Visa.

The initiative, run by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, includes a competition to find the UK’s best and most improved high streets within two categories: the Champion award to celebrate the UK’s best high streets, and the Rising Star award for those taking the lead and working to adapt and diversify. For each, a winner will be named in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as there being an overall UK winner.

In 2018, Crickhowell High Street in the Brecon Beacons was crowned the UK’s best high street, commended for its community-led initiatives, including the Corn Exchange project which transformed a former pub into shops for independent traders.

UK High Streets Minister, Jake Berry MP, said: “The Government Awards celebrate the dedicated shop keepers, the committed volunteers and forward-thinking councils who together are creating vibrant and dynamic high streets that are loved by their communities.

“Last year more than 200 high streets across the land battled it out in a hotly contested competition to be crowned Britain’s best.

“I would encourage communities across the nation to enter, so their high streets and the people working in them gain the recognition they fully deserve.”
Jeni Mundy, regional managing director UK & Ireland, Visa, added: “We’re delighted to partner with the Great British High Street Awards for a second year, particularly as 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.

“Through our involvement with the Awards, we’ve witnessed the huge strides that high streets are making in transforming themselves, with many adapting to changing consumer demands for new goods and services whilst maintaining their status as a hub for local communities. Today’s consumers expect a great deal from their shopping experiences, and it is those high streets demonstrating adaptability, resilience and creativity that are setting themselves up for success.”

Nominations for the awards can be made by local authorities, Business Improvement Districts and – for the first time – groups of high street retailers, from today. 

Shortlisted entries will be announced in August 2019.