I’m paraphrasing a little from one of the 00s' most iconic American girl bands, but we’ve seen the writing on the wall for a while when it comes to Britain's high streets. Over the last few years, and more recently with W H Smith, we’ve watched our beloved millennial icons come and go; Topshop, Blockbuster, Miss Selfridge, even Woolworths with its solid yet dusty pick n mix selection have all departed. 

We’ve seen a number of recessionary periods, I even graduated during one, and the latest budget doesn’t look kindly on those in the retail world again. So, do we have any reasons to be cheerful? And what does the future look like for Britain’s high streets? Personally, I think we need to look to the upcoming generations and see how we can connect emotionally, offering them something different in our stores, giving them a reason to engage with the world in a meaningful way.

As Gen Z come of age, we see them voting with their pockets. If your offering says one size fits all, we are only here to take your money, and everything we sell was made in sweatshops, then you’re unlikely to win over this group. If your store does more than just ‘sell,’ if it offers community, real connection, personalisation and has any semblance of green credentials, then you’ll find committed and strong support with the Gen Z pound.

Learning from past icons

With my rose-tinted glasses on, here’s a journey down memory lane for those thinking about building brand relations with Gen Z. Take Blockbuster, it was a beloved institution and a big part of my childhood. Going in under the massive yellow and blue sign meant my sisters and I had access to more than five channels. Unfortunately, Dad was having nothing about Sky, on Friday night we could rent two films. It is a shame that Blockbuster missed the boat and in the end the likes of Netflix managed to jump on the online bandwagon quicker. The organisations that modernised, embraced emerging technologies and looked to future consumer preferences are the ones that won as 2007 welcomed the dawn of streaming.

Another great loss to the high street was Topshop. As a teenager, I didn’t believe in god, instead I had Topshop. It hit the cultural zeitgeist of the time on the head and was the centre of fashion for the high street for many. Growing up in the North Yorkshire countryside, nothing quite called to me like Topshop, and especially the beacon of light that was Topshop at Oxford Circus.

Nothing will be more iconic than seeing Kate Moss stand in the window to launch her collaboration (before we had ‘collabs’) at the flagship store in 2007. But sadly, Topshop felt like it got left behind. They didn’t pay enough attention to their consumers who wanted things quicker and cheaper. It seemed as though the likes of ASOS caught them on their blind side and the rest is history. On the upside, I can’t wait to get into the new Ikea store that will finally bring this location back to life.

So, what’s changing?

We know there are plenty of reasons to keep banging the doom and gloom drum. The impact the budget will have on the retail sector is well known, and there are very real, personal impacts that store closures will have on the people working there. However, there are still some brands giving us hope and reasons to stop dual screening and look up from The White Lotus and the Net-a-porter sale (that we watch at the same time as we look at car insurance quotes). 

Working with Holland & Barrett, we’ve seen how the best of the high street is meeting the challenge head-on. It’s recent flagship experience store in Cardiff saw the team ask those all-important questions: How can we bring in a new generation? How do we ensure our value proposition brings an enduring presence to the high street? It’s no regional undertaking either, this is a serious £70 million investment to transform its portfolio across 200 stores in the UK. With a tone of voice that is truly emotive and engaging, alongside in-store experiences that create genuine connection and community (we’re not here for your gimmicks and short-term thinking), we hope to see the consumer perception tide change and ensure that Gen Z especially sit up and take notice.

Aesop might have a more humble exterior, but the once much-adored indie brand has gone from an insider-only approach to a business bought by the French beauty giant L’Oreal for £2 billion. Its stores are a haven for anyone wanting a chic moment, from the free moisturiser outside the door on Broadway Market to the well-informed and friendly team. The Aesop experience says come in, have a chat about our unique architecture and try our latest hand wash in our gorgeous sinks. Yes, it’s a pared-back, subtle experience. No, it isn’t cheap either. But, the stores focus on customer education with an immersive experience that resonates. It’s something you can’t get from sitting behind your laptop at the kitchen table. Inspired by the opulent design of the late Victorian era, one of its latest stores has just opened in Leeds - lucky me.

Building phygital brand loyalty and community

Beyond retail in the pure bricks and mortar sense, you can also see interesting developments in the ‘phygital’ space (I’m not a fan of the word either). 

We’re seeing more and more of a mixed reality experience, showing how retailers can connect in and outside of the store whilst building deeper brand loyalty and offering community and connection to those seeking something more from their shopping. Of course, this isn’t new, Balenciaga and Fortnite blended high fashion with the vibrant Fortnite ecosystem years ago, bringing us the gamification of fashion and a real link between global brands and the metaverse. Players were able to pay for Balenciaga skins, including those iconic sunglasses. For Balenciaga, this meant connecting with 250 million players, 62.7% at the time who were aged 18 -24.

So, the future of the high street is clearly shifting. Thankfully, most brands are making that concerted effort to change and diversify for their savvy consumer, growing and developing their digital and physical offering so they don’t get left behind like the relics of the past. Whilst we are certainly facing uncertain times, lessons are being learnt. Now it’s down to the innovators, the disruptors and the mavericks to ensure the high streets continue to develop so we can breathe fresh, new and meaningful life into bricks and mortar.