People powered high streets

people-powered high streets(or how to make an omelette)

part 1the dark night of the soul

‘The first and principal benefit caused by the arid and dark nightof contemplation: the knowledge of oneself and of one’s misery’ St John of the Cross

1 ‘Retail-ledregeneration’ has failed

Experian Oxford Economics shop Colliers International vacancies were 15 growingeven before 11.25 the recession 7.5 Understanding High Street Performance, 2011 3.75figures are percentage of shops vacant 2000 0 2006 2008 2010

2Ordinary people are under pressure

Capital share society is Employer social contributions Top half of earners becoming Bottom half of earners more unequal, with less 12%going to thebottom half 39% figures show breakdown of 39%total value generated by UK economy in 2010 11% Missing Out, Resolution Foundation, 2011

3‘Portas pilots’ are not a strategy

part 2something must be done

1rethink the whole, not just the retail

‘High streets and town centres that are fit for the 21st century need to be multifunctional social centres, not simply competitors for stretched consumers.’ From The 21st Century Agora: A new and better vision for town centres

2get ideas from the people, not just the planners

‘Each place needs to be collectively animated by the people who live there or visit it, not just planned or managed.’ Twenty-first Century Town Centres, Action for Market Towns

3invest to add value, not to extract it

Figure 6: Embedding the five ways to well-being in design Connect Include physical and social infrastructure to encourage connections between people. Entice different groups of people together. designing Be active for Structure indoor and outdoor spaces to increase activity wellbeing Give Designing ‘in’ personal and levels in people’s day-to-day lives. Stimulate social well-being opportunitiesFrom Re-imagining the High for people to share, Street, new economics exchange and foundation help one another. Take notice Keep learning Favour the beautiful Promote local history. Put a place and the unusual. in context. Promote a shared Factor in space for understanding of place and its relaxation and interdependence with other communities. reflection. positive experiences. Of these key five drivers of personal well-being identified,

4plan for a fairer future, not apastiche of the past

‘In communities where aparticularly valued shop or market was designated for closure, thecommunity themselves should havethe first opportunity to take it over.’ The Right to Retail, Res Publica, 2011

part 3‘go out and play like Zola’ Harry Redknapp, to Joe Cole on his West Ham debut

1we all needinspiration

‘The highlight of the day wasknowing that Mary Portas supports our work.’ Participant in High Street Camp, May 2012

2connections arevisceral, not just bureaucratic

‘Community connections, reaching across place, interests and identity,are largely untapped assets that can promote wellbeing and address social exclusion.’ Communities Connected, David Morris and Alison Gilchrist, 2012

3 the first rule ofnetworks: peoplewill only connectwhere they want to

‘Social tools don’t create newmotivations so much as amplify existing ones.’ Clay Shirky, Here Comes Everybody

part 4 the omelettetheory of change

‘You can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs.’ V. I. Lenin (attrib) but...you can’t make an omelette just by breaking eggs

1what does ‘tasty’ feel like? (what kind of highstreet do you want tocreate, and for whose benefit?)

2find yourself a cooker (what process willbring your vision to life?)

3what ingredients do you need?(what people, skills, and resources are required?)

4now create your recipe(which is plausible,doable, testable and meaningful)

bon appetit!

Find out moreDownload our 21st Century Agora paper See other presentations on Slideshare Check out the Revive Our Town Centres forumRead ‘seven steps from ghost town to host town’

thank you more from me... www.urbanpollinators.co.uk my blog: Living with Rats Twitter: @juliandobson

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People powered high streets

by Julian Dobson on Jun 15, 2012

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