Debenhams, Sainsbury’s and the many Arcadia units are gone, adding to the long list of stores that have shut up shop and left the town centre.
There are also still strong rumours circulating that others are still up in the air about how long their stay in Swindon will be with more retail units expected to become the victims of pandemic-fuelled acceleration of online shopping in the not too distant future.
According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), the proportion of peoples shopping done online soared to 35.2% in January 2021, compared with the 19.5% reported in January 2020! We know lockdown forced this on people with many stores closed but how will it continue after lockdown?
Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers Association predicts a “great year” for the high street, if the reopening goes well on April 12th saying: “After one of the worst years, this could be one of the best years.”
But what about Swindon?
While the town centre is not quite as bad as many would have you believe, there is little doubt that it lacks certain things that you would find elsewhere.
The large retailers are all leaving behind huge empty units that if they were to be replaced by some of the smaller shops that one would find in towns up and down the country, there will perhaps be a need to change lease agreements for buildings to make them affordable for smaller businesses to take on.
One controversial idea – which is happening more and more in the town – is for commercial premises to be converted into homes.
Recent changes planning laws announced by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick mean full planning applications will not be required and the homes will instead be delivered through a prior approval process.
As part of the change extending public buildings, such as schools, colleges and hospitals will be ‘fast-tracked’ allowing extensions to be built further and faster with a more streamlined planning process.
So could we see even more houses, flats and homes planted directly in the middle of the Swindon?
