The Great British High Street
The Queues Snaking around City Centres when the shops finally opened were a sign that online shopping hasn't completely satisfied our retail needs over the last few months. The enthusiasm for shopping in a physical store was clear, for some, seeing, touching, and trying clothes on is not matched by the convenience of online shopping, no matter how good the images or speedy the delivery.
It stands to reason people were particularly keen to shop in Primark, the stream of people waiting have been unable to access their affordable clothing for the last few months, Despite having a website, Primark doesn’t have a transactional online shop (something I wonder if the decision makers at Primark regret now?) While Primarks brand of fast fashion doesn’t conform to the sustainable direction high fashion is heading in, it meets the needs of growing families, among the eager shoppers i bet there were more than a few parents glad to be able to kit their children out cheaply after a growth spurt in lock down, the element of necessity is always a nuance when talking about the negative side of low cost clothing.
For the Great British High Street, AW20 season was the modern day winter of discontent with so many closures and collapses and even more jobs hanging in the balance. With the best will in the world your local high street will no doubt be looking a little sad, Arcadia group has been dissolved, Cath Kidston has gone online only, and with Peacocks and Debenhams gone it leaves a sizeable hole in the landscape, but hopefully the success other brands have experienced via their online sales might encourage them to open stores outside of London. I would love to see a flurry of independents opening up and down the country, many towns and cities are lucky enough to have a great multi brand independent boutiques close by, Found in Bath, Quattro Rish in Reigate, Bernards in Surrey, Bod & Ted in Tunbridge Wells, Cricket in Liverpool to name a few, but there is room for plenty more. Prior to the pandemic crippling business rates and inflated city centre rents put many small brands off taking a bricks & mortar store, but now with units lying empty perhaps there is opportunity for an exciting change to the Great British High Street.
