Almost one in seven (15%) UK consumers would like to see more restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs on high streets, according to new research that suggests in the future high streets will focus more on hospitality and leisure and less on retail.
The study of 2,000 UK adults by Kantar Retail and Groupon found that 71% would visit their high street more if there was a greater range of independent shops, while just 38% wanted more chains. In addition, 54% claimed they would visit the high street more if it had better parking facilities.
Asked which type of businesses they would like to see more of on high streets, clothes shops were the most popular response (31%), followed by artisan food and drink shops (30%), book shops (20%), bakeries (17%), leisure facilities including cinemas and theatres (14%) and restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs (15%).
Asked which outlet types would have the shortest shelf life, the most popular choice was betting shops (26%) then mobile phone shops (18%) and estate agents (18%).
The research also shows that many people still value the high street despite the rise on e-shopping. While 42% do like the convenience of online shopping, 58% still prefer the in-store experience.
The survey suggests there’s been a reaction to the increasing use of self-servie among retailers. Such facilities divide the nation, with 37% are in favour and almost half viewing it negatively. Many want to see more personalised service - 46% would like high street businesses to know who they are and what they want.
Bryan Roberts, director of retail insights at Kantar Retail, said: “The future high street is shaping up to be very different to how it appears now - the fact that shoppers demand to see a wider variety of businesses matches what we are seeing in the industry.
“High streets will be less reliant on retail, and more focused on broader hospitality, leisure and service facilities to encourage people to meet socially and interact more with the local community.”
