FEATURE
HIGH HOPES !
Bright future predicted for ‘ innovative ’ high streets that will ‘ no longer be clones ’
WORDS : SARAH WALKER
C ommercial property and business agent Parker Barras has praised Middlesbrough and Stockton councils for reimagining their high streets to create what will become " go-to " destinations for leisure and specialist shopping .
John Taylor , director of the Middlehavenbased firm , praised the “ radical rethink ” of Middlesbrough and Stockton ’ s town centres , which he believes have gone some way to addressing the slow-burning decline of our high streets that Covid accelerated .
In Middlesbrough , where modern offices in Centre Square recently opened , plans are afoot to transform Captain Cook Square ’ s former TJ Hughes store into a bowling alley .
And in Stockton , Castlegate Shopping Centre is to be demolished to make way for a new riverside waterfront – something that follows the recent redevelopment and reopening of Stockton Globe , is attracting more culture – and crucially people with money to spend .
Praise – Parker Barras director John Taylor .
John explains the pandemic created a “ real urgency ” to focus on town centres and high streets , which were already struggling with shop closures pre-pandemic .
He said : “ It was in councils ’ interests to do something with their town centres – and both Middlesbrough and Stockton councils have had a radical rethink in terms of how to attract people back into town .
“ We ’ ve made one or two acquisitions on behalf of landlords and over the next year there will be lots of opportunities for the bold and the brave who step forward and come up with innovative ideas .”
With drastically falling commercial property prices and rents attracting smaller , independent retailers to the high street , as well as the potential to create leisure parks and turn some stock into quality housing , John believes the future of town centres is bright .
He predicts each town centre will develop its own unique offering rather than tourists facing " cloned " high streets when travelling from one town to the next . “ All town centres were hit by Debenhams closing during the pandemic ,” he says . “ In Sheffield , they ’ ve
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