The high street

1 Designation of high streets and town centres
2 The highs of the high street
3 The decline of the high street
4 Initiatives in support of high streets
5 Related articles on Designing Buildings

[edit] Designation of high streets and town centres

The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 introdcued the idea of local councils designating high streets as being important to the local economy because of a concentration of high-street uses of premises on the street. The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 in section 191 describes the designation of high streets and town centres:

"(1) A local authority may designate a street in its area as a high street for the purposes of this Part if it considers that the street is important to the local economy because of a concentration of high-street uses of premises on the street.
(2) A local authority may designate an area within its area as a town centre for the purposes of this Part if—
- (a) the built environment of the area is characterised principally by a network of streets, and
- (b) the authority considers that the area is important to the local economy because of a concentration of high-streetuses of premises in the area.
(3) A street or area is not to be designated, however, if the authority considers that its importance derives principally from goods or services purchased in the course of business.
(4) A designation under this section may be varied or withdrawn at any time.
(5) A local authority must maintain and make available to the public a list describing, and a map showing, any designations under this section that are in force in its area.
(6) A designation under this section is a local land charge.
(7) In this Part—
- “designated high street” means a street for the time being designated under subsection (1);
- “designated town centre” means an area for the time being designated under subsection (2)."

The designation of high streets in the act supports the potential for high street improvement plans, also support with in the Act in section 203, through the use of rental auctions, later more clearly defined as High Street Rental Auctions (HSRA). The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (Commencement No. 6) Regulations 2024, brought into force the relevant provisions of Part 10 of the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act 2023, enabling compulsory high street rental auctions (HSRAs), in effect in England from 2 December 2024.

Further to this the High Streets (Designation, Review and Improvement Plan) Bill as introduced in the House of Commons on 6 December 2023 (Bill 25) goes further to describe the process of high street designation. The Briefing notes for the Bill describe that it would require local authorities in England to designate streets as high streets, either a single high street, or a network of high streets. Local authorities would be required to publish an improvement plan setting outproposals for the preservation and enhancement of designated high streets. Local authorities would be required to review these plans every five years and to consider them when exercising planning functions.

[edit] The highs of the high street

In the UK, a high street is a road – in many cases a main route or traffic artery – which has developed as a hub for the local community because of its central position and ability to capitalise on passing traffic. This in turn has induced shops and other establishments to locate there as the optimal place to conduct business.

High streets generally started appearing in the late 1800's as market stalls and centralised trade appeared in many cities and towns. These centres grew during the late Victorian and Edwardian eras when shopping became fashionable. Popularity grew throughout the 1900s, with the first traditional shopping streets being converted into car-free pedestrian precincts from around the 1960s.

Today the high street is typically found in all UK towns and cities, often partially pedestrianised or with limited or one way traffic, depending on location and layout. It may be referred to as ‘the high street’ or ‘high road’ or may even have a name that is more linked to the locality e.g Kentish Town Road. Shops traditionally encountered in a typical UK high street can include

Banks.	Restaurants and coffee shops.	Hairdressers.
Pubs.	Bakeries, patisseries & deli's	Department stores.
Market stalls, Supermarkets, mini markets etc	Butchers, greengrocers and fishmongers.	Transport connections (e.g stations and bus stops).
Offices.	Clothing suppliers.	Homeware suppliers.

The number and type of shops in a high street will depend on the size of the town or city: a small town may have a limited high street with a small number of shops in buildings that are typically low-rise, while a city will usually have more than one high street containing numerous multi-storey buildings.

Bradford City Centre Design Guide, Supplementary Planning Document, published in 2006, suggests that: ‘Traditionally a high street is a road through the heart of an urban area that carries all of the through traffic and is also where the greatest number and most important shops are sited together with civic functions. These streets would once have been the ‘shopfront’ of the town or city. Now bypasses often mean that they no longer carry traffic but they do still tend to be the focus for the shopping area.’

[edit] The decline of the high street

The initial and gradual decline of the city centre or town high street began in and around the 1970s, partly through the growth of out-of-town shopping developments which some say were often approved by local authorities because of the additional tax revenues. Ironically in some cases these may have contributed to pedestrian schemes in the high streets, but as more people owned a car, the out-of-town shopping centres became more accessible and fashionable as they were often newer and more modern than the high street shops.

Out of town retail parks were not necessarily cheaper but often provided a larger range of shops and offered plentiful parking. These centres offered a pleasant shopping experience, safe pedestrian shopping, a clean environment, activities to spend-the-day-there, potentially connected to other out of town activities such as cinemas, swimming pools, play parks and so on.

The rise of at first mail order retailers in and around the same time started to draw some customers away from the traditional high street shops, along with shopping centres. This threat gradually increased from around 2000 with the move from mail order to on-line retailers such as Amazon, eBay and others, placing huge pressures on the high streets. Many well-known shops – and even retail chains – were forced to close due to lost business. On-line retailers who – because they frequently have very low overheads – can significantly undercut the high street on price. Even out of town shopping centres were effected but in some ways less so because of the offer and economics.

However, the demise of the high street may not be entirely driven by on-line retailing. The closure of an area’s main employer, such as a factory or food retailer, could have adverse effects on the entire community, resulting in job losses and therefore less money spent in the high street. This has been exacerbated by high rents, property prices and business rates.

More recently in the already pressurised market, events such as the pandemic impacted many retailers, leading to closures and the inevitable job losses. The pandemic obviously also impacted large retail centres in an out of towns, but as the Internet continued to change living patterns, the down turn in shopping areas, in particular high streets only continued.

In more recent years though some aspects of the high street have seen somewhat of a renaissance, with the spread and increased popularity of charity shops in high streets throughout the UK. Indicative of a caring society, or a sign of a decline in the fortunes of the locality ? Other, perhaps more social aspects such as local cafes or coffee houses have managed in some parts to remain steady, but the fate of the high street has been a continual theme of a variety of initiatives.

[edit] Initiatives in support of high streets

Prior to the General Election in June 2024 all of the major parties mentioned high streets in their manifestos. The Labour party, who won the general election in July had covered high streets in their manifesto describing issues thus:

"That is why, in partnership, Labour has developed a plan for small businesses – the lifeblood of communities and high streets across the country.... Labour will look for ways to strengthen the Post Office network, in consultation with sub-postmasters, trade unions and customers, and support the development of new products, services and business models, such as banking hubs, that will help reinvigorate the high street. We will also ensure justice and compensation are delivered swiftly for those sub-postmasters shamefully affected by the Horizon IT scandal. ... The current business rates system disincentivises investment, creates uncertainty and places an undue burden on our high streets. In England, Labour will replace the business rates system, so we can raise the same revenue but in a fairer way."

By May, 2024 The High Streets (Designation, Review and Improvement Plan) Bill had completed its third reading in the Housing of Commons and was on its second reading in the House of Lords.

In April 2024, Labour published a 5-point plan to breathe life into Britain’s high streets described as this.

Tackle anti-social behaviour and shoplifting - So that people feel safe when they go out to shop, eat or socialise in their local high street, putting 13,000 more neighbourhood police and PCSOs back on the beat, paid for by cutting police bureaucracy and outside contracts, and scrapping the Tories’ £200 rule which stops shoplifting being investigated.
Roll out banking hubs - Thriving high streets need banking services for local businesses and customers. Labour will roll out banking hubs to guarantee face-to-face banking in every community boosting local high streets and shops. The cost of opening and operating the hubs will be met collectively by the banks.
Replace business rates - Labour will replace business rates with a new system of business property taxation which rebalances the burden and levels the playing field between our high streets and online giants.
Stamp out late payments - Small and independent retailers shouldn’t be forced to wait months to be paid for work by big clients. Labour would introduce tough new laws to stamp out late payments and make sure more money gets to high street firms.
Revamp empty shops, pubs and community spaces - People won’t visit high streets blighted by unsightly boarded up shops. Labour will give communities a strong new ‘right to buy’ beloved community assets to revamp high streets and end the blight of empty premises.

In December 2023 The High Streets (Designation, Review and Improvement Plan) Bill, was introduced to Parliament by Conservative MP Jack Brereton as a Private Members’ Bill, presented to Parliament through the ballot procedure.

In July 2021, under the Johnson Conservative government 'Build Back Better High Streets' was published, a strategy document setting out the government’s long-term plan to support the evolution of high streets into thriving places to work, visit and live.

In March 2021, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick announces package of measures to revitalise England’s high streets and town centres, with new rules coming into force allowing commercial premises to be converted into homes. Other measures included a fast track for extending public service buildings and policy changes allowing bigger extensions to existing public buildings including schools, colleges, universities and hospitals.

Ref https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-freedoms-to-support-high-streets-and-fast-track-delivery-of-schools-and-hospitals-across-england-introduced-today

In May 2019 the government announced new funding for high streets to bring old buildings back into use. The £62 million fund will be available to turn disused or underused buildings into creative spaces, offices, retail outlets and housing.

Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright said: "Our heritage makes communities more attractive places to live, work and visit. This £62 million investment will breathe new life into high streets right across the country, benefiting local people and businesses, as well as providing assistance to much-loved historic buildings." Ref https://www.gov.uk/government/news/high-streets-to-benefit-from-62-million-heritage-boost During the Budget in 2018 the government launched its Plan for the High Street, which included £675 million for a Future High Streets Fund.

In 2012 DCLG published the government’s response to the review. This challenged local partners to re-imagine their town centres and high streets to offer something different from out-of-town shopping centres and the internet and outlined a package of measures to help high streets reclaim their role at the heart of communities.

In 2011, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills published: The Portas Review: an independent review into the future of our high streets.

The Portas Review described a vision for bringing economic and community life back into high streets and town centres, re-imagining them as social hubs for shopping, learning, socialising and fun. For more information see: Portas Review.