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The post-war 'high street' really doesn't/didn't have much to do with what a high street should look like. I've posted about this scheme in the town planning thread, and I'm afraid I think that I think it's just a continuation of what this horrendous 'shopping centre' achieved, a hollowing out of the town centre. If you can get the same style of shops at an out-of-town 'retail park', then there really isn't much of a reason to go to the town centre. This is just the next step in the same process, it will lead to further decline, and it certainly isn't inevitable.
Oliver Schick-
I doubt anyone else on here grew up in the North-East but with the help of people likeJohn Poulson and T.Dan Smith most of the town centres were marvels of brutalism.
What is happening is the natural evolution of retail at the moment things are just changing at a pace we are uncomfortable with.
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/nostalgia/uptons-hinton-tower-house-remember-14817023Just in case anyone else on here ever shopped at Geordie Jeans or been ice skating at Billingham Forum.
Dibble
I think now the "old" highstreet concept is the M&S, Topshop, HMV all in a row, the same in every town in the country, is obviously a dying idea it means we can leave that stuff to online or out of town shopping and re-invigorate town centers with green space and independent shops, cafes etc. It's roughly the same idea as the growing amount of pedestrianised streets around the country, make it a nice place to go and the shops will thrive.