A new survey on the future of the UK’s high streets has been launched by the Federation of Small Businesses - and businesses across the country are being urged to have their say.
The survey, which will run from July 13 to 27, will cover issues from business rate relief, public transport and parking, access to cash and street cleaning.
The FSB will analyse the results and submit them to UK national, devolved and local governments “with the aim of influencing policies to create flourishing high streets into the future”.
FSB Policy Chair Tina McKenzie said: “Our high streets must keep evolving, and small businesses must be at the heart of that.
“What we need in place is the right public policy to shore this up for the future. That’s why I’d like as many smaller businesses across the UK as possible to take this future of the high streets survey, so we can get their experiences and views on lots of issues that affect them.
“Changes in consumer behaviour as well as huge high-tech shifts mean that high streets across the UK are rapidly changing. We know that some big household name high street brands have closed, but barbers, nail salons, microbreweries and independent gyms can offer customers a unique experience.
“Independent small businesses are trailblazers; capitalising on new and exciting opportunities on the high street through a combination of varied business models, with some innovating new services and experiences and increasingly using digital approaches to engage with, and understand, their markets.
“The more SMEs who take this survey, the more influential our collective voices will be. I say to all our SMEs out there: Let us know what experiences you’re having with business rates, with transport and parking, with access to cash; tell us which changes to your local area you think would create the biggest opportunities for your high streets.”
The FSB says many high streets are being reinvented with ideas including the creation of small business co-working spaces, pop-up eateries and art exhibitions in disused department stores, and more unusual artisan street food markets.
It added: “The right policies could see new innovations, like creating new local banking services through the post office.”
The survey can be found here.
