@grahamsoult.bsky.social Enjoying the way that #SpaldingBID has been playing their cards this year. They have more up their sleeve than we could ever guessed in those early days of court challenges against the founding vote. Let's hope one day we have a town centre of which we can be truly proud.

Free High Street Boost workshop announced for Bexhill businesses Independent businesses in Bexhill can sign up for a free High Street Boost workshop on 10 March and follow-up one-to-one retail support.

Retail specialist featured in national TV documentaries to host Lewes workshop Free High Street Boost workshop at Lewes Town Hall on 24 February to be followed by one-to-one support visits.

👀 www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2584255... #darlington #retail #highstreet #highstreets

Hero of the day. Tony Slater, who rummaged through discarded McDonald’s litter on verge, found a receipt, contacted the local environmental health officer. Who contacted McD, who used CCTV to work out the car responsible. Result: £500 fine. 💥 (Via @thetimes.com)

I don't often lavish praise but this #HelloSpalding app is the best promotional tool for the town that I've ever seen! I need to lie down now to get over the excitement! #Spalding #SHollandDC #SpaldingBID #SarahFletcher @lincsonline.bsky.social @spaldingvoice.bsky.social @grahamsoult.bsky.social

East Sussex high-street businesses 👇 Free workshops + one-to-one support are on the way. Dates soon. Register interest: www.cannyinsights.com/high-street-... #HighStreetBoost #HighStreets #EastSussex

Leatherhead: first impressions at a moment of change Seeing Leatherhead through fresh eyes highlights both its strengths and the opportunities ahead as a new BID prepares to get started.

🛍️ Staying with LinkedIn, 💯 hard agree with @grahamsoult.bsky.social here... The failures of Claire's and TOFS have less to do with the "health of the high street", and more with the lack of health (and, indeed, lack of relevance) of those two retailers...

Marking 10 years of buildingourpast.com - 100 posts focusing on historic shops and retail history. Today's offering: Saxone shoe shops. buildingourpast.com?p=11352&prev...

Smol... like my following on Bluesky! 😁 www.merriam-webster.com/slang/smol

I could not be more thrilled to share my "Boosting Festive Footfall" film with everyone! 🎬 Working on it with Tees Valley Combined Authority was a pleasure, and the end result is a celebration of #Darlington, of the #TeesValley, and of independent retailers in general. youtu.be/j_5dDdr9zIo?...

@grahamsoult.bsky.social Plenty of life still on the High Street! 'Retail Cupid' Graham talks with Nikki Clarke OBE about his retail matchmaking - filling six empty units in Durham, after partnering with local council. 39 minutes of discussion. Impressive stuff! #Durham #RetailCupid #HighStreet

Some thoughts from me in this podcast with UMi! www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGwO...

"Independents are rooted in the town, they build relationships with customers and offer delight you can't get on your smartphone." Some comment from me here in this BBC News article about my "Boosting Festive Footfall" workshops for the Tees Valley Combined Authority! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Still time for #TeesValley retailers and other businesses to sign up for my "Boosting Festive Footfall" workshops starting on Monday! www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2562147... #retail #highstreet #highstreets

@grahamsoult.bsky.social @lincsonline.bsky.social @springfields.bsky.social At last, welcome evidence-base study about #SpaldingTownCentre Town loses est £174m a year as shoppers prefer Bourne, Springfields & Peterborough | LincsOnline | 13 November 2025: premium.lincsonline.co.uk/spalding/new...

As you may have seen, I'm looking forward to delivering eight "Boosting Festive Footfall" workshops - in person across the #TeesValley, and online - over the next few weeks. The sign-up link for local businesses is at www.eventbrite.com/cc/retail-wo....

Maybe go #HighStreetPositives as @grahamsoult.bsky.social suggests: “Retail is a major employer with determined, resilient, innovative people at every level. It’s doing great stuff in challenging times and could make an even bigger contribution to your growth target given supportive policy & regs…?”

Not really my point. The BRC data show high street footfall up by 0.7% but the article and the headline (especially) is designed not to tell you that. Whether the data from varying sources differ is a different thing. It os the pushing of a narrative despite the data that riles me here

The encapsulation of Britain’s post-industrialised economy morphing into a experiential/wellness one. Visit the excellent @beamishmuseum.bsky.social, go down a 1910s mine and then luxuriate in Coal Mine bath salts from the gift shop 🧐

Proud to reopen our #Nettleham food store tomorrow after 6 months of hard work, after a fire gutted the building - the #LincsCoop team have all pulled together with a pop up shop to support the community while we’ve repaired the original store 🫶

Completely agree! How many developed markets in the world can say this? And not just for customers but also new entrant challenger suppliers: can't get listed by one grocer, try another one!

It was nice to pop up on BBC Politics North just now, and be described as "a leading retail expert"!

What a transformation for our #Horncastle funeral #LincsCoop team now relocated into a brand new £1.2m purpose built home to continue to provide outstanding care for our community 🫶

🇺🇿 I mean, once in a lifetime, amiright? Tashkent, you have been a joy… Sorry I only got to spend one free evening, but you were a beaut…

Sainsbury’s Marsh Mills. 11 sail-like panels to create a nautical canopy to honour Plymouth’s heritage. Known locally as the Sainsbury’s Opera House

The piece went online a fortnight ago, but is in print today. Here’s a gift link, if you’d like to read free: Middle-class families are choking on the £100 ‘casual meal out’ www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/96d6c66...

Waterstones in Bradford 🥰

"Anyone who is opening a business wants to be part of somewhere vibrant, supportive and on the up. I have no doubt Bishop Auckland is on the right track." Some comment from me about #BishopAuckland in @thenorthernecho.bsky.social today! www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2549614...

St Helier, Jersey October 2025. Very nice work by Hettich in taking over Burton's Art Deco store site. Nice outside and splendid work inside. Two foundation stones. Have sent photos below to Laid By Monty for their excellent site laidbymonty.com

Bet not many of these #Cambridge students realised that Gardenia's shopfront was installed for Lennards (shoe shop) by Pollards in the late 1920s. A tad altered, but recognisable - hope it isn't now swept away!

Former C&A. Before that another outpost of the Holdron’s business.

Former M&S

Bit of Peckham Rye art deco. Former Holdron’s department store. Now a tremendous shop in its own right

You, a mere beverage simpleton: it’s squash Me, a sophisticated Aldi shopper: I think you’ll find it’s a concentrated electrolyte water enhancer…

about to go on stage at #TechConnect to talk about open source maintenance and AI. so much to say.

I am not surprised Amazon has axed its Amazon Fresh convenience stores. They just weren't very good. I wrote about them back in 2023:

"Dave, did you write the copy for the new parchment paper product" "Yup" "Did you get weird about birds again?" "..."

Blast from the past in Belfast

Sawers deli in Belfast. Going strong since 1897. Epic place.

Travelling to Darlington to speak at High Street Positives event with @vacantshopsacademy.bsky.social @grahamsoult.bsky.social and other fabulous people.

@grahamsoult.bsky.social Woolworths in Sheringham

#Topshop x John Lewis - interesting! Sounds like a canny move for both brands - JL draws in new customers, and Topshop gets to bring back its physical footprint in prime locations quickly and with limited risk. www.theguardian.com/business/202... #retail #highstreet #highstreets

"It's really important to hang on to historic traders, but at the same time, it's absolutely right that these flagship, historic buildings should have life after 4pm, bringing in people who may not have been there before." www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2541539...

Several of my survey answers were "very poor", Waitrose, but if you want to equate that with "a great experience" so be it 🤷‍♂️

Some pleasing finds in Reigate: Knight’s department store (1883 - 2016); Freeman, Hardy & Willis; and Mead’s Wine & Beer Stores (1870s).

Love the new #SAFC #TilTheEnd mural on the back of the old M&S

🧸

I'm not convinced someone who works at an advertising agency called "AMV BBDO" is best placed to talk about the power of effective brand names 🧐😄 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...