Andy Street launches plan to revitalise flagging town centres

Andy Street has gone back to his roots as part of a multi-million pound scheme to revitalise the flagging fortunes of town centres in the Black Country.

The former John Lewis boss oversaw a profits surge at the department store chain before he quit in 2016 to become West Midlands Mayor.

And now he has set his sights on breathing new life into the Black Country's struggling high streets.

The Mayor has launched a project aimed at getting the sales tills ringing again – but also to change the focus in town centres to include more independent traders, new homes and community activities.

As part of the West Midlands Combined Authority's (WMCA) new town centre programme, Walsall, Bilston, West Bromwich and Dudley, as well as Bordesley in Birmingham will all get a share of cash from the region's £350 million housing fund.

Mr Street said: "The future of the high street will not only be about shops, it will be about public services, homes, small businesses and community activities.

"There are many opportunities for our high streets. We must find a positive future for them which embraces technological change. The future of our communities depends on it.

"We want to be the region that leads the way nationally in reimagining the role and function of town centres in the digital age."

In Walsall the focus will be on the regeneration of the St Matthews quarter, with new housing projects and leisure facilities on the agenda.

Councillor Mike Bird, Walsall Council's leader and the WMCA lead for housing and land, said the situation for retail in the town was 'very dire' but said there was still hope for it to be a retail destination.

"There has to be a mixture of things on offer," he said. "We need to encourage more independent traders, and more importantly, a leisure offer, which I believe is the way forward for a lot of our high streets.

"We have got to give people a reason to come into our town centres. Unfortunately, the retail offer we have here in Walsall at the moment is not enough."

High streets across the Black Country have struggled for years due to limited footfall.

They have some of the highest numbers of empty shops in the country and have been repeatedly hit by big stores moving out.

Walsall has recently lost its Saddlers Centre branch of Marks and Spencer, and council leader Mike Bird has raised concerns over the future of the town's Debenhams in The Old Square shopping centre.

Mr Street, who saw gross sales double at John Lewis during his 10 year stint as managing director, has said it is 'premature' to declare the high street 'dead'.

He believes that with the right investment and strategy they can once again become 'the focus of our communities'.

More town centres are expected to be brought into the programme next year.