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MARY PORTAS REPORT
Breathing new life
into the high street
Following her appointment by Government to lead a Review of Britain's high streets,
there has been a blaze of publicity surrounding Mary Portas and the changing face of
UK retail. Becci Knowles reports on what's got everyone talking...
In May last year, Prime Minister David Cameron
appointed retail expert and TV personality
Mary Portas to lead an independent review into
the future of our high streets. The long awaited
review was published in January and media
commentators were quick to respond to the
report’s findings - some questioned the
Government’s motives in appointing a celebrity to
lead such a project, while others looked in detail
at the findings and found many of them to be
contradictory. There is, however, also a huge
amount of support for Portas’ vision for
regeneration.
In the foreword to the Review, Mary said: “I want
to put the heart back into the centre of our High
Streets, re-imagined as destinations for socialising,
culture, health, wellbeing, creativity and learning.
Places that will develop and sustain new and
existing markets and businesses. The new High
Streets won’t just be about selling goods.”
While in a difficult economic climate - where
shops stand empty and even long established
names have ceased trading, it might be difficult
to see this as any more than an ideal - a positive,
pro-active response to regeneration is vital. Yes,
our high streets have suffered from the
increasing number of out of town shopping
centres, the rise of the internet, increasing rents,
rates, the credit crunch and recession…. but
rather than believe everything we read about the
44 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • MAY 2011
44 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • SEPTEMBER 2012
‘death’ of the high street, should we not instead
focus on a retail experience that can’t be
matched elsewhere?
Maria Leese of successful store Doris & Daisy
agrees and is taking both the Review and the
Government's response to it, with a pinch of salt:
"The problem is, there are so many people looking
after their own interests. Everything depends on
how good your LA is. We would love our town
“I want to put the heart back
into the centre of our High
Streets, re-imagined as
destinations for socialising,
culture, health, wellbeing,
creativity and learning.”
centre to have free parking, but of course the LA
is not going to do that because they need the
revenue. The business rates we pay are
phenomenal and yet we can't even put out our
cardboard out to be collected. That money goes
to central government. So, it's all just passing the
buck. We need some leadersip, for somebody to
say, this is how it will be for the whole country. I
do think they need to do something about the
rates though, they are eyewatering! If farmers
can be subsidised then I think local retailers
should be subsidised too."
The Government's response
In the foreword to 'High streets at the heart of
our communities: The Government's response to
the Mary Portas Review' published in March,
Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Mary’s
review made the challenge crystal clear. Internet
shopping and out-of- town shopping centres are
not going to go away – they offer the convenience
and choice that customers welcome. So for our
high streets to thrive they must offer something
new and different."
In its response, the Government announced
more Portas Pilots (including Town Teams tasked
with bringing the high street back to life); a
500,000 investment to help Business
Improvement Districts access loans for their setup
costs; a High Street Innovation Fund; and a
£1m Future High Street X-Fund – to reward the
areas delivering the most effective and
innovative plans.
In terms of rates, Rt. Hon Grant Shapps MP,
Minister for Housing and Local Government
promised to double the level of small business
rate relief in England for two and a half years.
He said: "We have made it easier for businesses to
access the small business rate relief by removing
the legal requirement for them to submit an
application form; given them the option to spread
the Retail Price Index increase on their rates bill
over three years; and, through the Localism Act