So much has changed post-pandemic. Not least our wish to stay local and shop local. The UK high street has always meant more to us than just a purchase. It’s part of our community. It’s at the heart of our value system. It is part of our historic heritage. And with home working now a phenomenon which is here to stay, the big city chain shopping experience has been partly replaced by local shopping – independents, local fresh produce, a responsible supply chain and traditional high street and community shops and cafes. A nip to the local café to break up our home working lunch hour, or popping to the neighbourhood butcher for tonight’s dinner is an appealing and rewarding experience. The city centres are no longer filled with crowds of frantic suit wearers. And quite honestly, we can’t say we miss it! 

So, with many of us supporting our local community more, it seems the need for us to shop local, from people we know, and goods and services from businesses who rely on us, make us feel good. Retail guru, Mary Portas, has branded it ‘the kindness economy’. And, according to a recent survey by Deloitte, 57% of consumers say they would much rather spend money on a business that offers locally produced products. Good news! 

 

Just take Birmingham’s New Street. Away from the Bullring and down the narrow streets is where you’ll find the glorious hidden gems. Indie fashion retailers, quirky coffee shops and other exciting local small businesses. Each leaping for joy internally when you leave their shop with a smile on your face. 

 

And you needn’t look further than the Cornbow in Halesowen to see how much shoppers value their regular visit to the high street shops. 

But what about the opposing online shopping experience? Well, it seems the convenience is no contest for the community hub. Exciting pop ups, local boutiques and self-care ventures offer much more to us than the dry, anonymous and unremarkable click of a button. Not to mention the masses of planet damaging packaging and the delivery giants filling our roads with huge petrol-guzzling trucks. A meaningful connection with a local high street shop is much more …up our street! 

 

Last year, the government injected £95m into 68 local high streets across England to help recover from the impact of Covid-19. The plan was to beautify high streets with sculptures and flowers. ‘Pretty up’ high streets to welcome footfall and appeal to the community. An experience you simply cannot replicate with a quick and perfunctory online purchase. 

 

The future of our high street lies in adapting to what customers want and how we now live. Quite simply, to understand consumers is the key to surviving and thriving in our post-pandemic world. 

 

 

 

Graham Cook, Senior Partner, Godfrey Mansell & Co Chartered Accountants.