Retail Reboot: the reinvention of retail parks

The latest in a series of roundtable webinars as part of our Retail Reboot campaign.

Before the pandemic the battle ground for customers had been between the High Street and retail parks but now it is between them and the Internet. Both need to change their overall offering to attract customers and have their own distinct propositions.

One of the many unintended consequences of Covid-19 has been the reinvention of the out-of-town retail parks. Often dismissed as soulless and already hit by closure programmes and the collapse of chains like Comet, Toy R Us and Mothercare, a renaissance would have seemed unlikely before the pandemic struck. However the ease of access by car for those wary of travelling on public transport, free parking and more open space meant customers felt safer and could enjoy the experience in their ‘bubbles’.

To future proof retail parks we need to break down their dependence on cars and provide better links to transport and town centres. Retail parks need to be accessible and not located on the wrong side of ring roads.

Retailers that evolve their approach and use their retail park stores to offer a more convenient and engaging customer offering will be those that succeed. There is also a growing demand for retail parks to offer more mixed use including residential, co-working and leisure spaces.

Our webinar looks at what’s next for retail parks and where there is likely to be the biggest demand for alternative uses.