Blog/Opinion Piece

To turn around a narrative of high street decline, we need to support councils to lead and animate their placee, Matt Colledge FIPM writes. This means expanding leadership and involving those ready to step forward and help.

“We won't succeed by doing the same things that we have for the last 50+ years only a little less badly. If we don't change course more radically it will be too late.” The words of Prof Leigh Sparks MA, PhD, CF, FRSE, Professor of Retail Studies, Deputy Principal at the University of Stirling, Chair of Scotland's Towns Partnership and IPM Senior Fellow, in the first of two pres ...

The Institute of Place Management welcomes the government’s publication of its “Long Term Plan for Towns”, which is providing new funding to support 55 towns to invest in local people’s priorities against the three key themes of ‘safety and security’, ‘high streets, heritage and regeneration’ and ‘transport and connectivity’.

Two IPM Senior Fellows, the Institute’s Interim CEO Ian Harvey and Diane Wehrle, Marketing and Insights Director, MRI Springboard, were guests on a BBC Radio 4 ‘You and Yours’ programme on 19^th September 2023, called How well does your high street work for you?

With anti-social behaviour and crime continuing to act as a major barrier holding back UK high streets, Joe Barratt asks what role placemaking should play in making our streets safer?  

40% of visibly vacant town or city centre units, on average, have no agent board. Iain Nicholson explains why this is a problem and what place leaders and managers might do to intervene and mitigate it.

As high streets and town centres continues to face multiple pressures, Professor Cathy Parker, the research lead for the Government’s High Streets Task Force, explains in a new podcast why partnerships are essential to managing change.

As questions continue around the future of levelling up, Senior Fellow, Matt Baker argues that success depends on properly understanding the key mission of boosting pride in place.

Belfast City Council have recently implemented the Future Ctiy Centre Fund Programme which has aimed to tackle vacancy rates in the city centre.  This case study focuses on the achievements and challenges of the project.

Jeremy Hunt, the new (and fourth this year) Chancellor of the Exchequer, sought to calm markets and reassure both international investors and the public of the need to provide confidence and stability in the light of a chaotic month in UK economic policy.