'It can't die' - Worcester High Street must reinvent itself

With the closure of HMV, Mothercare and Knowles Sports in Worcester ahead, it would be easy to imagine a mood of doom and gloom prevailing on the High Street.

However, independent traders have expressed a cautious optimism despite tough trading conditions, calling for more creative solutions to the challenges faced by High Street shops.

Tim Evans, owner and manager of family-run business Toys & Games of Worcester, said: “Long term I’m really optimistic. The High Street won’t die. It can’t die. It will just reinvent itself. The reinvention will be independent traders offering a unique experience.”

Mr Evans said although footfall and online sales were down in his shop on last year there had seen a slight increase in overall trade.

Pokémon and Lego sold particularly well and his business has been well-supported both by his customers and firms like Lego and Sylvanian Families.

The 51-year-old who opened the shop, based in Broad Street, on Boxing Day with son Ieuan said the Christmas shopping period continued to get later every year, describing it as 'lastminute.com'.

He said the dominance of Amazon meant their online sales were 50 to 60 per cent down.

"I have been in retail 25 years this year and I have never worked as hard as I have since April" he said.

He said although he believed the business rates issue would sort itself out and there would be pain in the short term, 'High Streets will get a lot more interesting'.

Ultimately he would like to see more young people running businesses in the city centre and predicted that Worcester's core would once again become residential with people living in flats above shops.

This would help businesses to get a better return and also assist in providing affordable housing, he said.

"The High Street has a massive property stock. We have got to get people living in the city centre. That's the future of the High Street - people living in the High Street. It's going to go back to how it was. There's no room for failure. We must succeed."

Mr Evans's comments come as the High Street faces some big changes.

HMV in the city's High Street is due to close on January 25 after a company spokesman said the store was was 'no longer viable'.

Meanwhile, we reported last November how Mothercare is to close all 79 of its UK stores including Worcester's store in the Crowngate Shopping Centre.

The global Mothercare group said it has undertaken a review of the UK business and found that it is "not capable of returning to a level of structural profitability."

One of the biggest casualties of the year was Knowles in Broad Street after the owner, Rick Knowles, took the 'very sad' decision to close the shop which had been trading for 135 years. He said 'the internet has taken its toll'. The store is expected to continue trading into this month.

Mike Paine, owner of clothes store Jingo in Pump Street, Worcester said trade had been good and was at around the same level as last year.

"Everything is exclusive which is good for us. The High Street is tough but for us, being independent, being different, is a selling point and a strength" said Mr Paine.

Derek Lines, a manager at Jill Wheelock-Lines Fine Jewellery in Friar Street said Brexit had put a 'dampener' on everything and said overhead costs including electricity, rates and water were creeping up.

He said: "We're paying twice as much on corporation tax as big businesses turnover. There is something fundamentally wrong there."

However, he said he had 100 per cent faith in Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Conservative Government, arguing that independent shops had an 'extremely important role'.

"It has been tough. It has been a hard year but we have some really good customers. The biggest problem has been footfall" he said.

Iapetus Gallery in Reindeer Court which sells handmade gifts, art and jewellery was also busy during the festive period, selling out of some items.

The manager said: "I have been rushed off my feet so that must be a sign we have been busy."