Town Centre Recovery Report

The Town Centre Recovery Report was created by Public Practice in collaboration with the National Retail Planning Forum and the Planning Officers Society. It includes case studies on town centre and high street recovery from Manchester City Council, Middlesbrough Council, North Somerset Council, Shropshire Council and the London Borough of Newham, outlining the challenges that officers across the country are facing within the context of COVID-19 economic recovery.

The findings from these five places, combined with the learnings from the literature review, have been synthesised into a series of eight recommendations, which we believe can help local authorities to ensure better high street recovery and more resilient places:

  • Recognise local authorities as the stewards of the high street.
  • Create strategic visions to bring ideas, people and funding together.
  • Look beyond retail.
  • Bring cross-sector partners together through governance.
  • Provide the tools and opportunities for communities to lead.
  • Use new digital tools to engage.
  • Re-define measurements of success.
  • Build skills and capacity in-house to drive change.

If you have any feedback or comments on this report, email us at [email protected]