Tell us about your high streets

If we want to improve the experience of high streets as a 'place to go' then we need less pollution, more pedestrianisation and more green spaces and outdoor seating. That way high streets are nice places to visit beyond shopping! :-)

Estate agents are not transparent/honest in who and how they let/sell property.  Business Rates are ridiculous.  Money laundering is rife.  Antisocial behaviour, including begging is not being policed with any regularity.  Seriously affected Mental health patients are roaming the streets scaring people and making the high street a frightening experience and somewhere to avoid.  Store front design and advertising in many instances ignores the architectural qualities of the  building facades and lets the overall urban environment down.  Rents of shops are too high and councils need to buy some shops to allow business startups to have 2-3 years to test the Water, with subsidised rent/rates.  This would increase the retail offer.

My local high street has become overtaken by cafes/charity shops/restaurant chains/shopping chains. There is one large Supermarket & three local style supermarkets all specialising in food. The remainder are opticians/stationers/ small scale versions of clothing chains/chemists. I can get most items I require locally but maybe not of the best quality and variety. I think as this is a prosperous area the shops can survive the high rates & rents. If I could not buy online I guess the street would serve my basic needs. I could not buy any large white goods or furniture, bedding or home furnishings. I would look online then probably travel to a larger store which might be convenient. The street has very little independent trade and is a bit bland - it could be anywhere as it lacks the caracter it once had. It will not be enhanced by the new cycle lane being constructed which will isolate one side of the street. This side is has pretty poor footfall and now that will be worse. So many interesting businesses have gone. More housing instead of shops! No. Already too many flats being built blocking the sunlight from the surrounding area. The drive to build is an obsession which is ruing once pleasant streets blocking the sky. Hideous.
 

Usdaw (Trade Union) are doing a brilliant campaign at the minute about saving the high streets called Save Our Shops 

https://www.usdaw.org.uk/Campaigns/Save-Our-Shops-(1)

Some really good ideas to revive the high streets and help the retail sector.

I would like to be able to park without time restriction. I would like a variety of shops ours is full of hairdressers/barbers, nail bars and charity shops. We used to have butchers, bakers and greengrocers among others. We are about to lose our local bus that takes us to our high street. 

They are trying to improve may high street by widening the pavements; whilst this is good to increase pedestrian areas, there are no shops as they are all closed and the traffic can now not fit along the road easily so it causes jams and increased pollution. A costly exercise in increasing problems

Feel ashamed at how dirty, covered in chewing gum and rubbish, our London high streets are compared to say Paris where you see street cleaners more frequently, driving small electric vehicles on the pavement that vacuum wash and brush more efficiently than any broom can.  Also too many betting shops. Why not more fresh fruit, veg shops and bakeries instead of unhealthy fried chicken joints and expensive cafes?

My local high Street has a lidl, pound stretcher & several cafés & kebab shops/ other takeaway shops! Also the local library is in transition to "community run" which means it is not open yet & the nearest is 2 miles away in Ealing Broadway! If there was more of a variety of shops on my high street, it would be more convenient as it is not a bad route for buses. The area could do with a bit of a face lift too . 

Our High Street is faily small , about 30 shops. 2 of which have been empty with their accomidation above suitable to house families for over 15 years. My local council does not want to know. Despite repeated letters to the leader of the council. Our local MP is hopless. The landlord does not want to know despite a petition and letters direct to board members. There are pepole enquiring to make use of the two business units but the landlord (it's the same for both permersies), ignors their letters. What needs to happen is  if a property is left empty for 2 years including living saccomidation the landlord should be made to force to sell it to someone who will bring it back into use. These two properties are a blot on our community.

Less rent free charity shops. Instead of crippling shop keepers by keep putting up there rents, you should tax online stores like Amazon to make it a level play ground. Shops should have easy acces to buses and taxis......by doing this people will be more inclined to use buses and taxis as this is what they are there for. This will also improve air quality. Since you have altered Tottenham Court Road, it has made it more difficult to hail black cabs because you only allow buses to go southbound.....what an odd decision!!

High streets need cleaning up - my local one is so dirty with litter and dirty buildings

A bank (remember them?) would be useful, or at least a functioning (and free to use) ATM.

In order to improve our local high street there needs to be less crime, less drug dealing and more secure bike parking

The immeditate danger caused by vehicle traffic, and the constant health hazard or air pollution, both prevent many people visiting the high street as much as they would like. Streets dominated by cars are difficult to negotiate on foot, espacially with small children. Parked cars narrow the roadway and cause further problems.

High streets free from cars allow small busineses to prosper and improve the health of residents. Without cars, footfall rises and people spend longer shopping.

Loads of empty shops. When they do have someone go in its food. 

In response to my "other"

my high street (Clapham high street) is full of bars and restaurants. Not many everyday or casual stores. Sure I can buy a motorcycle. But there isn't anywhere to purchase smart clothing for instance. But there are plenty of bars and restaurants. If I want to get sozzled I can can do that anytime. Actually, I tell a lie. If I wanted to do it specifically a few months ago I couldn't. I was stuck in my house due to a stabbing having occurred on my door step. I was not permitted to leave so as to not disturb any evidence. But the 68 different bars and restaurants dotted on or just off our little high street we're able to carry on unimpeded.

By the way, that number isn't accounting for the businesses that sell alcohol. Such as newsagents and smal to medium supermarkets. Only bars and restaurants that fuel the binge drinking culture in Clapham. Why has Lambeth council allowed this to become a disgusting hell hole. Sure I should have moved by now. But with the cost of housing where too? I can't stay local and be close to work and where my life is. But really do I want to be local to high street that can't sell me a new official charger for my phone? Or does it have to be a clearly used knock off that one of the news agents pass off as "boxed", at 3 am, after I have fought through all the non locals drinking pissing and fighting their way across my high street? What about the vandalism caused by all this traffic. My car has more damage to it from being park near (not even where I actually live because I get any of the parking I pay for) these establishments, than I've done myself. Scratches, dents, ect.

our high street is appalling. Council offer no confidence as the left wing establishment allowed this small hell to exist. Thank you. I now look forward to hearing absolutely nothing from anyone as no one cares so long as their pockets are lines.

apologies for the poor grammar. 

When you go to a lot of European cities and towns you can see a good mix of active high streets and the newer out if town centres.

The same happens here unfortunately to the detriment of the high street

Growing up we did not have these big impersonal out of town centres but rather a good high street with everything you needed.

They are a vital part of the.community and should be preserved.

We need to make the business rates in the high streets more attractive to help with regeneration otherwise they become ghost areas that are not really safe for anyone to visit

Londom has always benefited from these high streets and we need to keep them alive.

Many high streets, ours included, seem to be suffering a gradual slide in quality of estabishments on them.

We don't need any more coffee shops, internet cafes, barber shops, tattooo parlours, legal aid firms, mobile phone accessory and charity shops or fast food outlets (there are plenty already).

We do need more higher-quality, safe places for people like families, mums with young kids and older people to meet.

The only positive exception and force for good is the Co-Op, both of whose (newish) local branches are excellent.

That said, also echo the comment about promoting a richer mix of distinctive independents vs chains wherever possible.

Independent shops should be protected: high streets look more and more anonymous with the growth of franchise chains shops and restaurants offering the same stuff everywhere.

online shopping will never replace shopping: we all like to try clothes on and don't have time to stay all day at home waiting for a delivery 

Local high streets are important to local communities. If we don't use them we'll lose them and then the big 5 supermarkets will tell us what to eat and when - Chlorinated Chicken! 

Local high street destroyed by a useless path down the middle which cut the two lanes down to one the amount of traffic meant that nothing moved so pollution levels, which have NEVER been within EU guidelines are through the roof to the determent of the local communities health and wellbeing.

Also due to the need for housing awful awful density monstrosities are being planning permission again to the detriment of all in the area. It seems that you don’t care about outer London boroughs

this is Tolworth in Royal Borough of Kingston, although the mess it is at the moment I wouldn't be surprised if the Royal went - why would they want to be associated with such a mess: Local government and London government destroying our lives.