The Modern High Street Challenge

Many high streets across the UK have seen a decrease in visitors in recent years as a result of consumer shopping habits changing and an increase in online shopping.

As the unitary authority of the district of North Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire Council approached the Graduate Skills Builder project with the aim of investigating how Scunthorpe’s High Street could be regenerated to attract new businesses and visitors to the area.

The project team explored the potential causes for the decline of the high street in Scunthorpe and the rest of the UK as well as investigated the redevelopment plans of other town centres across the country.

The students were able to effectively conduct primary research to establish the wants and needs of the area and generate a comprehensive business report that included suggestions for updating their town centre. The recommendations included the rebranding of the high street with an increased focus on pedestrianisation and using the town’s heritage and culture as a method of attracting non-residential visitors. The group also included a section of the report dedicated to improving and creating new recreational activities aimed at families and younger visitors.

This project saw real benefits as a result of the students’ work as the report fed into a £10m government town centre funding plan which is currently in development and plans to implement many changes to the Scunthorpe high street, some of which were influenced by the student’s work.