Don’t write off the High Street just yet

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Over the past ten years, few industries have faced changes as dramatic as retail – and, in particular, the British high street. While the high street itself remains a much-loved institution, it seems that hardly a week passes without another reminder of the unprecedented changes – from consumer habits to technology – it currently faces.

On one hand we hear stories about the challenges for British retailers – from squeezes in living standards to the closure of major chains like Toys R Us, it seems some of us have become conditioned to expect the worst. But at the same time there are the success stories – like the new wave of independent retailers, over half of whom say they are optimistic about the sector’s future.

So what’s really going on? With the support of Visa, The Spectator hosted a roundtable lunch, bringing together guests with first-hand knowledge of the British retail sector, as well as politicians responsible for its success, to assess the health of Britain’s high streets and to see what politicians, businesses and communities can do to make things even better.