News & Insight
Writing on retail property, leases and the high street.
Articles from the practice archive — lease renewals and rent reviews, town centre regeneration and place management.
The Cost of Keeping a Shop’s Options Open
On a struggling parade, a shorter lease can feel like safety. I wonder what happens when the shop needs investment that takes longer to repay.
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The Written-Off Shop Still Needs to Pay a Wage
An independent opening can change how an overlooked shop is judged. I am more interested in whether it can pay its owner a proper wage.
The Next Tenant Inherits More Than a Shop
A familiar chain leaves, but its shop is not a blank canvas. What replaces it depends on the costs hidden behind the frontage.
Against Expectation: A New Chapter Opens
Walking past a unit today, one that had been vacant for years, I saw the lights on and signs of life. A small, independent business is about to open its doors there.
The Quiet Economics of Lease Renewal on a Struggling Parade
Renewing a lease on a struggling parade isn't just about the rent; it's a careful negotiation of survival for all parties.
Where the Shoppers Go: A Shifting Centre
The traditional prime retail areas are feeling the chill as footfall quietly migrates to the peripheries. It's a slow but steady shift.
A Letting Board's Silent Story
A well-placed letting agent's board on the high street is more than just an advertisement. It’s a silent, yet informative, barometer of commercial life.
Uneven Fortunes of Our Market Towns
I've been thinking about the stark differences between market towns, some flourishing while others face decline. It's a complex picture, not easily simplified.
Against the Odds: A New Neighbour
It's always striking when a long-vacant unit, one you've mentally catalogued as 'lost cause', suddenly springs to life. This week, it happened again.
Finding a Price for High Street Space
For years, the question of what retail space was truly worth went unanswered, papered over by old agreements. That's changing.
The Chill of an Empty Department Store
A vast, dark shell on the high street casts a long shadow, not just literally, but economically, affecting every nearby business.
Unequal Fates of Market Towns
Looking at our market towns, it's striking how some flourish while others decline. It's often more than just a matter of geography or local demographics.
The High Street's Shifting Sands
The pull of primary retail has weakened, drawing customers to the fringes. This slow, steady erosion of prime pitch value is observable across the country.
Rental Auctions: A Blunt Instrument
The concept of rental auctions on the high street feels appealing in theory, but in practice, it often misses the mark.
The High Street's Slow Edgeward Shift
The primary retail pitch, once the beating heart of our towns, continues its slow retreat. Footfall drifts away, pulling viability with it.
Two Kinds of Landlords, Two High Street Fates
The contrast between landlords who invest and those who merely hold on is stark, shaping the future of high streets.
The Old Rhythm of Stalls and Sellers
Street trading and market days have a certain vitality, a spontaneous energy that fixed shops struggle to replicate. It’s a different kind of commerce.
Floors Above: A Residential Resurgence
The repurposing of upper floors for residential use is slowly transforming parts of our high streets, bringing new life to old spaces.
High Street Theatre: Stalls and Sidewalks
The rhythm of a high street often finds its truest beat on market days, a reminder of its foundational purpose.
The Weight of a Vacant Anchor
A large vacant store isn't just an empty unit; it casts a long shadow over the surrounding street, changing the very feel of a place.
The Last Walk Through an Empty Shop
Walking through an empty shop after the keys are handed over reveals more than just stripped-out space; it shows the physical manifestation of an ending.
Tenant Mix as a High Street Barometer
The changing face of our high streets often prompts discussion, and the current tenant mix provides a clear, if sometimes stark, barometer of economic realities.
Council Money and the High Street's Unpredictable Turn
Walking through towns, it's clear that council regeneration funds aim to breathe new life into our high streets. The results, however, are a mixed bag.
Lease Renewals on a Faltering High Street
Renewing a lease on a struggling parade isn't about market growth, but about keeping what little stability remains for all involved.
Where the Lights Stay On After Dark
The high street's evening hum increasingly comes from food and drink, as traditional shops close their doors early.
When Auctions Set the Rent
Rental auctions for vacant high street units are a relatively new development, promising speed but introducing fresh complexities.
Rents Find Their Reality, Slowly But Surely
After years of stubborn adherence to pre-recession benchmarks, retail rents are now genuinely finding a new, lower level. This isn't a collapse, but a recalibration.
When Daily Chores Left the High Street
The disappearance of banks and post offices has stripped away essential reasons for many to visit our high streets, altering patterns of daily life and footfall.
Use Class Flexibility: A Surveyor's View
New freedoms for changing a unit's purpose don't always translate into a clear path for an occupier, nor a simple financial decision.
Rents Settle, After Years of Holding On
It has been a long time coming, but the adjustments in rental expectations are finally tangible, not just talked about.
Use Class Flexibility: A Landlord's Lever
Planning use classes are meant to guide development, but on the high street, they often become a bargaining chip. Landlords and tenants navigate these rules, sometimes with surprising outcomes.
The Market Town's Fortunes: More Than Just Location
One often wonders why a market town flourishes while another, seemingly similar, struggles to retain its retail fabric. The answer is complex.
Handing Back the Keys: A Quiet End
Walking through a newly vacated shop, the echoes of a business closing are more than just the physical space. It's the human story.
When Shops Become Collection Points
The rise of online shopping has fundamentally altered the role of the physical store, often transforming it into an integral part of the supply chain.
The Shop's Shifting Purpose: Beyond the Till
The line between retail space and logistical hub blurs further each year, changing how shops are used and valued.
Rents Adjust to a Shifting Landscape
After years of holding firm, or appearing to, the reality of market pressures is forcing a recalibration of retail rents. This isn't just a correction; it's a fundamental reset.
The Shadow of a Vacant Anchor Store
A large, empty department store casts a long shadow, not just physically, but over the surrounding retail ecosystem and property values.
The Letting Agent's Board: A Street's Quiet Indicator
Walking down a high street, the agent's board often goes unnoticed. Yet, it can tell a precise story about that specific retail environment.
The Invisible Burdens of Empty Shops
The cost of holding an empty retail unit often goes unseen, yet it significantly impacts both landlords and the high street's health.
The Changing Nature of the Retail Space
Shops are becoming more than just places to buy things. The lines between retail, logistics, and customer service continue to blur.
Another Familiar Name Goes: What Comes Next?
It's always a moment of quiet reflection when a long-standing high street chain finally closes its doors.
When the Retail Floor Becomes a Warehouse
Click and collect is a convenience for customers, but it's fundamentally reshaping the shop's role and operations.
Footfall's Slow Retreat from High Street Cores
I've been observing a quiet shift, a slow drift of footfall away from the traditional high street core to its edges. It’s a subtle but persistent change.
The quiet reality of dividing a departed chain shop
A look at how landlords are carving up large, empty retail units after national chains exit, and what the replacement tells us about modern rent.
High Street Rental Auctions: a tenant's guide
High Street Rental Auctions let councils auction the lease of a long-term vacant commercial unit. Here is how the process works, what the tenancy actually gives you, and the risks occupiers should price in before bidding.
“Well‑intentioned” rent reform may choke off investment — and stall Crewe’s revival
In July 2025, the government quietly included a provision in the English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill to ban upward‑only rent...
A Fairer Future: Why the End of Upward-Only Rent Reviews is Good News for Occupiers
The government's decision to ban upward-only rent reviews (UORRs) represents one of the most impactful reforms in commercial property...
High Street grant scheme in Crewe - Don't Sign until you speak to me..... don't be a big mug!
Before You Sign: The Hidden Risks of Taking a Lease with a Cheshire East High Street Grant The Cheshire East High Street Grant in Crewe...
Lack of planning control ?
Why Unregulated Signage on Vape Shops, Phone Repair and Eastern European Stores Is Undermining Our Urban Aesthetic. Walk down almost any...
Meanwhile Uses: Critical Analysis of Public Consultation Processes: Crewe Town Centre - Are the Community Truly Being Heard?
Public consultation has become a staple of modern governance, with decision-makers across the globe emphasising its importance as a...
How I, as a Chartered Surveyor, Can Drive the Revitalisation of Town Centres
Town centres have long been the beating heart of communities, providing a mix of retail, leisure, and social spaces that bring people...
The Strategic Role of Retail Chartered Surveyors in Navigating Empty Retail Properties - Landlords need to do their bit
Introduction The high street has long been the heartbeat of communities, but the rise of e-commerce, shifting consumer habits, and...
Navigating Retail Property Challenges: I can offer Expert Advice for Small Retailers and Landlords
Introduction With over 40 years of experience as a retail chartered surveyor and senior university lecturer in real estate, I’ve...
The Leadmill Sheffield Case: A Catalyst for Reforming the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 to Protect Cultural Heritage and Goodwill
The Leadmill Sheffield Case: A Catalyst for Reforming the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 to Protect Cultural Heritage and Goodwill...
Crewe’s Costly Car Park Debacle: A Case Study in Failed Planning and Regeneration Inexperience
Crewe’s Costly Car Park Debacle: A Case Study in Failed Planning Crewe, a town once heralded as a railway powerhouse now finds itself in...
The Leadmill Court Case: Inevitable Defeat and the Price of Principle Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954
Introduction: A Cultural Icon at a Crossroads The Leadmill, a beloved and iconic music venue in Sheffield, recently faced a legal battle...
Understanding the Foundational Economy
Revitalising the High Street in the UK: The Role of the Foundational Economy In recent years, the UK’s high streets have faced...
Understanding High Street Rental Auctions - Can I help ?
As an experienced retail surveyor, I understand how challenging it can be for businesses to secure the right high street property. With...
New Skills for Retail Leasing Agents: Creating Sustainable Places Through Placemaking and Place Management
As the retail landscape continues to evolve, so does the role of retail leasing agents.
The Role of Grassroots Music Venues in Urban Regeneration
Introduction Urban regeneration is a complex process that involves the redevelopment of urban areas that have fallen into decline. This...
Leveraging Dutch Architectural Principles to Enhance UK Housing: Cycling Infrastructure and Walkable Towns
Abstract The United Kingdom faces a significant housing shortage, compounded by inadequate urban planning that prioritises car use over...
The Regeneration of Urban Towns with Market Halls: Homogenisation, Creativity, and the Challenge of Gentrification
Urban regeneration has been a focal point in efforts to revitalise struggling towns
The Politics of Regeneration and Place in Crewe: An Analysis of the Crewe Town Board’s Failures
Abstract Urban regeneration in post-industrial towns like Crewe, located in Cheshire, UK, has often been a politically charged process....