Can a return to Localism save the High Street
This post-lockdown environment could provide an opportunity for High Streets to become a truly sustainable urban centre. One that not only addresses environmental concerns but also the change in social and economic aspects that have been brought about by Covid-19.
Holmes Miller has developed a number of design incursions that could be made within a High Street to look at how a commerce led, mono-use environment can be developed into a vibrant, sustainable town centre at the same time considering how the digital overlay of a Town Centre App (T.C.A.) can give an enhanced accessibility to many aspects of life and services provided.
Pop-Ups and Kiosks
The pedestrian experience at eye level determines how much in the way of stimuli and human interaction they garner from a walk through a town centre. For this reason, active shopfronts play a vital role in public life. They can provide us with shelter, seating, greenery, as well as convenient services. Having a shopfront that positively engages with the street through an awning/open servery or places to sit brings activity to the whole street.
During the lockdown many businesses have struggled, maybe losing premises or using the time to re-evaluate their offer. Void units can be let on a temporary basis to independent retailers who wish to restart their businesses or to those that may only have an online presence and want to test physical outlets.
A unit can be ‘white boxed’ for temporary occupation or reduced in size to create temporary kiosks that may appeal to a different group of users or provide remote services such as library book return or information point.
T.C.A.
The T.C.A. helps encourage exploration of a town centre as it displays a map of small business (in a real time basis to show pop-ups and temporary lets) and promotional rewards. Rewards such as free coffee and services will encourage peoples to be active and walk through town to visit places and use services that they may not have been aware of.
The app can be used to access public facilities such as ordering a book from the pop-up library service for pick up at a remote kiosk, order flowers and vegetables from a seasonal stall or book a yoga session in an itinerant community space.
Click and Collect Services
With shops shut due to the Coronavirus Pandemic online retailing for products has become second nature to many. Most households have people ‘staying in’ all day and so there is generally someone to receive deliveries. As we emerge from lockdown online retailing will no doubt continue to grow and challenge the physical High Street retail offer.
Introducing alternative services and experiences gives an opportunity for a town centre to engage with e-commerce disrupters, embracing change in the retail landscape, rather than seeing it as the High Street’s demise.
The ‘Click and Collect Lounge’ is a hybrid offer with the convenience and economy of online shopping combined with the sensory nature of a physical retail experience. Here you can collect and trial your online purchases at a time to suit your schedule, maybe while part of town centre shopping trip, in a fashion oriented environment.
Such a facility could be combined with a town centre information point, community café or other public facility such as a ‘micro library’ and knowledge resource point.
T.C.A.
The T.C.A allows the user to shop online and, in the process, arrange collection at a time which suits them at the C&C Lounge. The Lounge has a changing suite to allow the user to try on their items, seeing if they fit or are as expected, with an in-unit returns facility for unwanted goods. If a replacement item is needed immediately or a complementary accessory required, then you can find a suitable shop to buy this in the town via the app.
