Putney High Street is in a terrible state. In 2018, there were 3 closed shops; today there are only 20.
What used to be a bustling, dynamic High Street has been described in the national press as a “wasteland”.
It’s been six years since the Marks & Spencers shut down; a decade since the White Lion last opened its doors. Nearly all the banks have gone – most recently Barclays and Lloyds – and every few months, another business closes.
Last year, I decided enough was enough and decided to create an organisation decided to figuring out what was going wrong, and coming up with pragmatic solutions to fixing it.
That organisation is called Save The High Street Ltd and it is registered here in Putney. We are in the process of turning it into a charity so we can take donations from all those interested in turning the High Street around.
What is the current state of play?
We have carried out an extensive survey of Putney High Street and the main shopping roads leading off it. The results are depressing.
The most common kind of shop on Putney High Street is actually a closed one. An incredible 22 shops are closed as of June 2024. They are a blight. And it makes little sense given the demographic of Putney residents and how other nearby High Streets in Barnes, Richmond, Wimbledon and Kingston are thriving.
Where other councils and other MPs have focussed their attention on the problem and revitalised their High Streets, Putney’s haven’t – and we are dealing with the consequences.
The next most common kind of shop? Fast food restaurants: no less than 16 of them. Ask any local and they will despair that virtually every fast food brand is on a street that used to boost the best in British brands.
The reason, incidentially, is that the council simplified the code system for business and failed to reimpose controls on certain types of business. That is a local council failing.
Next after fast food? Estate agents: 14 of them, underscoring just how dynamic – and wealthy – Putney is.
So what’s the solution?
The state of a High Street is a complex, local issue that requires careful attention, business savvy, strong connections to the local community, and a creative, concerted effort to address
Save the High Street has been talking with local businesses, High Street experts, the local community and organisations that would be interested in a space on the High Street to find a way forward.
Among others, we have spoken to the NHS Confederation and its Health on the High Street project team, the Power to Change organisation that has been working on similar issues across the UK, the local business improvement district Positively Putney, the CEO of a local children’s charity, and the former head of a retail industry trade body.
Our solution is simple: take on a lease for an empty property, approach and screen local businesses who want the chance to operate a space on such a key road, give them the opportunity to set up and run in that space, promote them to the local community and – if they are successful – hand over the space to them, with a grant, and move onto the next space.
It is a novel approach but we believe it will work, especially if the community gets behind it.
What can you do to help?
The first thing you can do is sign up to our newsletter on this subpage on Putney.news. When we are up and running as a charity, we will be seeking donations. And, if you find to get involved, we would love to hear from you.