Most things in life are about balance. The high street is no different.

A thriving high street needs a balance of products and services, food and retail, experience and function. It’s whenever the scales tip too much to one side that problems emerge.

Case in point — hospitality and leisure play a vital role in the make up of a healthy high street, but oversaturation can have the opposite effect. It feels like a running joke that some UK high streets offer countless places to buy a macchiato, but nowhere to buy a stamp.

This need for balance in the high street isn’t just about the types of businesses that are present. It also extends to the customer journeys the high street supports. 

Catering to changeable consumers

Because the truth is what consumers want from their high street changes rapidly – and often unpredictably – from moment to moment. 

Sometimes they’re in a rush and they just want something reliable and familiar, quickly. They want an established, well-stocked retailer to offer something they can find and pay for rapidly.

But the next day the same consumer may be wandering around looking for inspiration. Now, speed, convenience and familiarity matter less. They’re looking for something that attracts and engages them – which often comes from a new or independent retailer.

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