Shopping centres are still springing up, and the expansion of out-of-town retail parks also appears to be difficult to halt. On top of that, there is the rise of e-commerce. Smaller retail towns, in particular, are struggling to find strategies to maintain a viable town centre. How can they best go about this?

Towns have traditionally been centres of trade, but the rapid development of the suburbs, with their shopping centres and out-of-town retail parks, has undermined that fundamental function. Towns across the country are having to search and experiment to breathe new economic life into their historic centres. The situation is different everywhere, so there is no magic formula that guarantees success. However, quite a few towns have now managed to halt the downward spiral, and in some cases even to reverse it. No one can rest on their laurels, however, as the sector will continue to evolve, particularly due to the continued growth of online shopping.