The ‘Biggest Threat’ to the High Street is to try to keep it the same! I am often asked, ‘What are the biggest threats to the High Street?’ I am asked by multiples who are trying to work out whether their current and future strategy and investment in town centres is correct, and by new brands who are looking to launch and develop a physical High Street presence. For me,-
Why not “Wipe the Slate Green” when it comes to retail business rates reform? It is common consensus that the UK retail business rates system is broken. It is unfair and inappropriate for this omnichannel world. However much of the dialogue on reform has revolved around the ‘battle between channels.’ Does it not seem equally inappropriate and narrow-minded that this should be the criteria for rates improvement? Retail is not-
John Lewis: ‘Out-of-sight, out-of-mind!’ Tunbridge Wells, or to be correct Royal Tunbridge Wells, is John Lewis heartland. If you were designing the perfect town for the values and qualities of the brand, the lifestyle, the demographic, the income levels, then you would create Tunbridge Wells. Tunbridge Wells had a John Lewis shop. We had a relatively new, but very well established ‘Home shop.’ The town regularly frequented it when it-
Followers of sustainable fashion cannot have avoided the opening of the first multi-charity department store, at the Brent Cross shopping centre, in North London. Ten charities are represented in the store, including Age UK, Cancer Research, Shelter and Traid. It has opened to much fanfare in a former TopShop unit and is not just remarkable in terms of its size and collaborations, but in the fact that Brent Cross is-
Have you ever wondered why shopping on a good local high street takes so long? Well, there may be negatives such as finding somewhere to park, particularly if its popular, but once in situ it is largely down to becoming immersed in the whole shopping experience. You discover new and unusual products that require further inspection, you bump into friends in the street and pass some time, and maybe you-
Retail winners in 2023 will combine ’New Thinking & Processes’ with ‘Old Values & Channels.’ My own Top 5 predictions for the year ahead… 1. The ‘Pureplay bubble’ will continue to burst. 2. Physical retail, in one form or another, will almost always be essential. 3. The convenience and reliability of Click & Collect will become even more widespread as a game-changer. 4. Traditional retailers will continue to decisively get-
It’s the time of year when the Christmas period sales results come in, and the assessment of winners and loses takes place. It is an interesting challenge this year as we are comparing 2022 to 2001, and also to pre-lockdown 2019. There is rich and unique analysis that can be drawn from this double comparison. My own Top 5 conclusions… The ‘Pureplay bubble’ has dramatically burst. Physical retail, in one-
Join me, Tim Radley, in “Meaning in the Retail Madness,” discussing how retailing without passion is alienating consumers, and handing customer relationships to distributors. Modern retailing is so complex. It is now almost impossible to be an engaging brand & product innovator, and also best practice distributors of communication and physical stock. The game changing model involves ‘Passion Generators’ & ‘End-to-end Facilitators.’ Allowing retailers to focus on building product authority-
Listen to myself, Tim Radley, on the Louise Lally podcast, discussing the world of retail sustainability, from diverse shopping channels, rental & second-hand resell, to on-demand manufacturing & the virtual inventory, and how sustainability, ethical governance and diversity are intrinsically linked. Join the free podcast now through this link…https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-ua8ca-1307ed8 The podcast features a discussion on Timberland. They have a long history already as a sustainable brand, working with the environment,-
“An excellent read *****” “Valuable reference for anyone in retail *****” “This book is more relevant now than ever! *****” ‘Meaning in the Retail Madness’ explains how touchpoints have replaced channels, how linear supply chains will become circular, why assortments are increasingly virtual, how physical is turning to local, and why products and shops are not necessarily made for each other anymore. It supplies a blueprint for retail’s new ‘agile-
