Over the past 2 decades the UK High Street has undergone a huge change, with the rise of online sales. The Office for National Statistics began charting this just before Christmas in 2006, when online retailing was still in its infancy, at less than 2.8% of UK sales.
Since then, online sales have grown every year, reaching a peak of 37.8% in January 2021 during the Pandemic, whilst online sales then reduced once Pandemic restrictions were over, the post-pandemic growth of sales continued to follow the pre-pandemic trajectory, with UK online sales at around 28% on retail sales overall, a 10 fold increase from 2006.
I've been active in the commercial property sector for over 30 years, with a good focus on retail in the north west of England. Prior to this, I have my own memories of growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, when the UK High Street was in its prime and as we approached the Millennium, the "dot com" bubble and its subsequent bursting appeared to suggest online retailing would be a novelty, perhaps useful for ordering more obscure or difficult to obtain items.
Interestingly, if you have an "Amazon" account, then you can trace your own online retailing habits by using the "Purchase History" function, which allows you to filter by Year. This can make interesting reading, for example way back in 2001, on average I ordered 1 item a month, comprising VHS video tapes, Books and CDs. By 2011, I was averaging 3 items a month by doing my Christmas shopping online, with electrical items and DVDs joining my continued regular purchase of Books. During the lockdown affected 2021, I was up to 4 items a month, with far fewer books than before. In 2024 I had slipped back to averaging 3 items per month, with clothing starting to more prominent. Take the "Amazon Challenge" and see what you've purchased, some items may surprise you, as I clearly can see items I have purchased due to convenience rather than obscurity.
Ultimately online sales have 2 advantages over traditional retail, the first is convenience as you can order what you want, when you want it. Secondly, there is the confidence that the item will be available. The one downside of online retailing, is the delivery time, if you need it immediately then "bricks and mortar" still have the edge - for now.
This convenience and confidence versus delivery time conundrum can be seen in how the 3 main "bricks and mortar" retailing has faired over the past 2 decades too. Whilst our traditional High Streets and Town Centres have had it tough, the supermarkets and discounters have fought back well, whilst smaller neighbourhood shopping parades and local "express" convenience stores have also thrived.
The simple answer as to the High Street has fared less well, can partly be explained by the convenience element and specifically the convenience of using a car. For most supermarkets, discounters, neigbhourhood shopping parades and conveneince stores, there are less car parking restrictions, be that in terms of paying to park or the proximity of car parking. Many High Streets in comparison were pedestrianized back in the heyday of the 1980s, as a way of getting even more shoppers into the bustling town centre where the existing pavements could not cope with the pedestrian flow. For most High Streets in the UK this is a dim and distant memory of a glorious time, which in reality is never coming back.
Politicians of all political parties say they want to save the High Street but often they then decide the best way to do is to make car parking even more difficult, to increase car parking charges, to make the environment more friendly for shoppers. Noble sentiments perhaps but in most areas with busy working families and an ageing population, people will not "vote with their feet", they will "vote with their wheels" and continue to shop online or at the more convenient bricks and mortar options.
So what can local Councils do to reverse this trend?
(1) Review existing Car Parking arrangements - Consider "Free car parking" either in whole or part - a good initiative is "Free after Three" which encourages shopping trips as part of the afternoon "school run". Also, for small parking areas closest to the shops, consider short term stops e.g. 30 minute stay maximum, this will help the impulse, convenience shoppers, with those car parks further away having longer time periods or free car parking.
(2) Review existing Pedestrianized Zones - Allowing some limited access, perhaps "One Way" with car parking either side of the road, 20 mph speed limit or even a "Turquoise Zone" for EV (Green) and Disabled Badge Holders (Blue) only. This will allow a Council to continue to push for greater use of EV vehicles as well as helping improve accessibility for disabled or mobility impared residents.
The car is not the enemy of the High Street, it could in fact be its saviour.
(Previous 2024, 2020 & 2014 articles on High Street Regeneration)
