The Portas Review highlighted the challenges that face our high streets and town centres. With shopping habits changing, high streets need to evolve – to build on their strengths and offer a viable and exciting alternative to out-of-town and internet shopping. High streets and town centres that are fit for the 21st century need to offer a different mix of retail, services and facilities, a different style of interaction, and a variety of experiences that are about more than shopping.
Customers arriving by bicycle are far better than their reputation. At first they are more loyal than those who use the car for shopping, and they spend more money. In addition their share in the customer mix far exceeds the shop owners expectations.