What Will Become of the High Street?

There have been so many big name retailers going to the wall over the last few years it is hard not to recognise a serious shift in the High Street. At the same time we still have large, strong brands that are dominating each and every shopping centre and mall and a handful of supermarkets that sell far more than just food. So what is happening to retail? Yes, the internet and online sales have made a huge difference particularly for goods that most of us now consider to be consumables. To a certain extent the High Street has become something of a place of leisure and a place to meet others. The proliferation of coffee shops be they small independents or large chains make it easy to arrange to meet someone 'in town' but does it really attract people in to buy other goods? Not really.

The High Street now is very different from even the turn of the century with many once familiar names now missing. What will it look like in another 5 or 10 years time? Coffee shops, charity shops and boarded up stores dominate now together with more 'gift shops' and £1 stores than can possibly be necessary. Totnes is striving to keep as many specialist independent stores as possible and that is to be welcomed yet is it really feasible for all parts of the country?

As more shopping goes online and to the really big retailers and into out-of-town shopping malls it is debatable as to whether there will even be a Hight Street in the not too distant future. Maybe they will become much smaller and become more leisure related areas and maybe some will disappear altogether and be replaced by residential areas. It's anyone's guess but at some point soon there will be a town or village that effectively looses its High Street, if it hasn't already done so.