Shrewsbury highlighted as example of pedestrian-friendly towns leading to higher sales

Shrewsbury town centre

News from Shrewsbury Big Town Plan Partnership

Shrewsbury is being highlighted as an example for others to follow in a national report which shows that pedestrian-friendly town centres are good for business.

The Pedestrian Pound report was published by the Living Streets charity on 14 November 2024, showing that towns which are more welcoming for people to walk around have higher sales.

Analysis found that sales were higher in the area covered by the weekend pedestrianisation trial than in the rest of the town centre, which the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan Partnership says is a clear indication of its success.

Seb Slater, executive director of Shrewsbury Business Improvement District (BID), which makes up the Big Town Plan Partnership along with Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury Town Council, said making town centres more welcoming by reducing through-traffic had wide-ranging benefits.

He said:

“We are delighted that Shrewsbury has been highlighted in the Pedestrian Pound report as an example of how positive partnership working can drive economic growth and create an environment for businesses to thrive.

“One of the key aims of the Big Town Plan is to enable the town centre to grow and evolve into an even more attractive destination where more people choose to spend their time – whether they are visitors, residents or workers.”

Councillor Alan Mosley, leader of Shrewsbury Town Council and the council’s representative on the Big Town Plan, said:

“This report provides more evidence that people prefer town centres to be pleasant places to walk rather than being dominated by traffic.

“The Shrewsbury Moves strategy which we published earlier this year outlined a range of options for how we can build on the positive impact of the weekend pedestrianisation trial, and there was broad support from the public during the consultation period.

“The fact that sales have been higher in the area where people are encouraged to linger and enjoy the town centre in traffic-free streets would certainly seem to back up our strategy of finding more ways for people to travel in and around Shrewsbury rather than always having to rely on a car.”

Councillor Ian Nellins is Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for climate change, the environment and transport, and the council’s representative on the Big Town Plan Partnership. He said the redevelopment of the former Riverside and Pride Hill shopping centres would help create an even more attractive town centre environment, whilst the existing Darwin Shopping Centre was performing well.

He said:

“The Darwin Shopping Centre is a key retail and leisure destination within its catchment area, consistently outperforming the UK shopping centre benchmark.

“The Darwin’s footfall is steady and is marginally higher than last year to date. The centre is also nearly 100% let, well above what other shopping centres are experiencing across the UK.

“Our ambitions for repurposing the former Pride Hill and Riverside shopping centres are well underway and will act as a catalyst for the wider transformation of Shrewsbury.

“The aim is for The Riverside and Pride Hill sites to become a game-changing mixed-use development (Smithfield Riverside) combining new leisure attractions, vibrant hospitality, appealing public spaces, quality office space and new homes.”

Further information

Launching the Pedestrian Pound report, Catherine Woodhead, chief executive of Living Streets, said:

“We hear a lot about the death of the high street, as people choose to buy from the comfort of their own homes.

“This new report proves that making high streets and town centres more walkable increases time – and money – spent in those businesses. It’s slowly being recognised – the majority (95%) of London’s Business Improvement Districts  identify a good walking environment as important to business performance.

“But high streets aren’t just shops – they provide services, entertainment, and a social hub for people of all walks of life. By making our town and city centres more accessible and attractive places to be, we can also help to bring communities together.”

Chris Boardman, National Active Travel Commissioner, added:

“Walkable high streets make for vibrant, happier and healthier communities, which is of course good for business. Making the centres of our towns, cities and villages easier and safer to get about on foot means people are more likely to spend more time there supporting local shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants.

“I’m pleased this research backs up what makes sense – that designing streets with people in mind makes better, more prosperous places for all. This is why we will continue to invest to provide more healthier and greener active travel options across the country.”

Originally published in 2013 and updated in 2018, this third edition broadens the evidence base for improved walking environments to include the benefits of happier and healthier people, stronger communities and a more resilient environment.

To view the report, visit https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/PedestrianPound