Early morning at Lake Bled, Slovenia

Place partnerships start with listening Graham Galpin reflects on place partnerships, and why listening, communication and collaboration matter in successful towns.

Are place partnerships fit for purpose? Place partnerships are becoming increasingly important as towns compete for investment and regeneration, says Sonia Cubrilo.

For over thirty years, a dead rabbit has hung inside Seven Sisters tube station, and thousands of people walk past it every day without noticing. www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/the...

Pride in Place programme expanded to 40 more communities As Pride in Place extends to 284 UK communities, The High Street Consultancy is taking bookings to support locations with their first steps.

TV retail expert Graham Soult invites Eastbourne businesses to final High Street Boost workshop Retail consultant Graham Soult invites Eastbourne businesses to the final High Street Boost workshop on 17 March, sharing practical ideas to attract more customers.

John Lewis pays out bonus to ‘partners’ for first time since 2022. A sign that the tanker is being turned around. But it’s just 2% of pay – equivalent of a week’s pay. In the past it has often been above 10% and even hit 20+% in 1980s.

Looking forward to being in #Hastings tomorrow evening delivering my free High Street Boost workshop for local businesses. Simple, practical ideas for attracting more customers to your shop, café or salon. 📍 Jackson Hall, Portland Pl 🕠 Wed 11 March, 5.30-7pm www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/attract-mo...

Nine regional and country winners of The British Book Awards 2026 (#Nibbies) Independent Bookshop of the Year have been revealed today, all with a "through-line of energy, innovation, entrepreneurship" ✨ Read more here 👉 www.thebookseller.com/news/...

I'm in #Bexhill tomorrow evening delivering my free High Street Boost workshop for local businesses. It's great to see a good mix of traders already signed up. If you run a shop, café, salon or other customer-facing business locally, do join us! Details: www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/high-stre....

Tram turning from Manor Road onto De La Warr Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex c.1906. #Bexhill #Sussex #Transport #Tram #History #1900s

Retail expert highlights visible progress in Eastbourne town centre ahead of business workshop After exploring Eastbourne town centre, retail expert Graham Soult highlights investment, independent retail strength and opportunities ahead.

TV retail expert Graham Soult bringing free High Street Boost workshop to Hastings TV retail expert Graham Soult brings a free High Street Boost workshop to Hastings to help independent businesses attract more customers.

Full text: Graham Soult’s speech at the Loughborough Town Deal Impact and Opportunity Business Lunch, 4 March 2026 A speech by retail consultant Graham Soult reflecting on Loughborough Town Deal and the future of UK high streets, including vacancy, independents and perception.

⛔️🤔🤷‍♂️

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)

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?...

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

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