WT Skip Hire

Commercial Renovations: Breathing New Life Into Town Centres

Posted on: 02/09/2014

In the last ten to fifteen years a combination of economic financial pressures and our increasing dependency on the internet have hit our high streets significantly. In 2001 high street stores were responsible for approximately 50% of all retail sales. This year that figure is expected to drop below 40% and could be as low as 33% by the year 2018. To help breathe new life into our town centres, David Cameron and Nick Clegg appointed Mary Portas to undertake a review of the state of Britain's high streets in May 2011. In her subsequent report titled ‘The Portas Review’, which was published in December of that year, she explained that the aim of the review was to “put heart back into the centre of our high streets” in a way that would make them “destinations for socialising, culture, health, well-being, creativity and learning.” At the beginning of 2012, off the back of her review, it was announced that towns across England would be able to apply to become the first ‘Portas Pilot Areas’. A few months later the first twelve pilot towns were announced and shared a pot of £1 million; with a further fifteen towns announced two months down the line. Lowestoft was one of those fifteen. As part of their winning bid, Lowestoft hoped to:
  • Increase footfall through the town centre
  • Launch a mentoring scheme between larger and smaller businesses
  • Improve security and information for shoppers
  • Introduce a new discount scheme
One of the businesses to receive advice from Mary Portas during her time working in the town has been Godfreys on Suffolk Road. On Friday, following advice from Portas and work to carry out an extensive shop refit, the Godfreys store held a grand re-opening. As part of work to refit the first area in the store, WT Skip Hire has been providing 18 yard skips for the removal of waste. These are the largest skip size we supply, aside from our roll on roll off containers, and are perfect for major projects of this kind. Work on a second area has just begun and her time at the store will be broadcast on Channel 4 at a later date. From small domestic projects to large scale commercial renovations, do not hesitate to contact us for assistance with the disposal of your waste. We have a skip size to suit any job. Mary PortasFeatureflash / Shutterstock.com