| Good evening, Many of the most impactful side effects of Covid19 and lockdown are subtle and insidious, they impact people’s lives and wellbeing in ways which we are all still trying to get our heads round. But one place where the rot is all too clear to see is on our high streets where gaps are starting to appear like missing teeth. Retail cannot survive if it cannot, well, retail, and with the collapse of national companies and demise of small business, the entire nature of what we expect from high streets will need to change. People will still want to shop in physical stores but after the almost enforced move to online shopping, habits will have changed and demands will be different. The enabling of more people to work from home will also impact the town centre offerings with less workers out and about. This is not the end for the high street but it is an absolute sea change and will require even more ingenuity, creativity and staying power from both independent and chain stores . And it could make our high streets more diverse, compelling, places. Food for thought. Wishing you a peaceful evening. Kind regards, Nicola Adam Deputy Editor Email me at [email protected] | 
