High street shops are being given a stark warning — change, or join the growing list of casualties who have collapsed in recent months.
According to a Sky News report, the government is setting up a national Future High Streets Forum to make sure other retailers do not go the way of HMV, Blockbuster, Jessops and Comet.
Leaders from retail, property and business will try to come up with ways to revitalise town centres, building on work that retail guru Mary Portas has already begun in 27 areas of England.
They will focus on getting the High Street to adapt to meet the changing needs of consumers by offering mentoring.
Local Growth minister Mark Prisk said that involves understanding the biggest threat to retailers.
“We shouldn’t underestimate the challenge the online market represents,” he said.
“It’s a growing part of all our habits as consumers. We must make sure high streets adapt.
People walk past a HMV store in central London Retailers like HMV and Blockbuster have suffered in recent years
“Government has a role in that, at looking to make sure, as we are, that we have strong planning, but also councils have a role, businesses have a role, landlords have a role. We want to bring them all together, drive this forward.”
The forum will investigate ways of improving parking, allowing commercial landlords to turn part of their building into residential property to bring more people into town centres, and making sure high streets are given priority when it comes to planning decisions.
It will also look at ways to increase the number of pop-up stores, which is something that Pam Honour, who regularly visits one in central London, welcomes.