● American Express commissioned research with retail experts GlobalData to identify what shoppers want from a great high street, and which British shopping locations have the winning formula

● The top high streets include Eastgate street in Chester, Church Street in Liverpool, and Princes Street in Edinburgh

London 5th August 2024: New research from American Express unveils the high streets offering a compelling mix of shopping and leisure experiences most desired by Brits.

The study, carried out with retail experts GlobalData, surveyed 2,000 consumers across Britain to pinpoint what they believe makes for a great high street, which was then combined with in-depth analysis to identify the locations with the winning formula.

Factors such as an attractive mix of retailers topped shoppers’ wish list (67%), with good parking a close second (62%). Shoppers also prize independent pubs and restaurants, with over half (52%) saying these make a high street ‘great’. The magnetism of locations with ample entertainment and leisure options such as cinemas and theatres, was highlighted by over a third (36%). Proximity to a train station and green spaces were deemed as less important by shoppers.

Encouragingly, the research also revealed that almost three quarters (73%) of shoppers believe their local high street will remain important to their everyday lives in 10 years’ time.

Queen Street, Cardiff ranks highest

Combined with its location close to historical landmarks and indoor shopping centres, Cardiff’s Queen Street is notable for its variety of retailers and scored most highly (compared to other locations) for accessibility and transport links.

The central shopping streets (Northgate, Southgate, Eastgate and Westgate) of Gloucester ranked in second place, singled out for a thriving independent restaurant scene, and taking the top spot for leisure options. In third place was Eastgate Street in Chester, which scored highly for its range of independent retailers and overall aesthetic appeal – all assessed as part of the analysis.

The Top 10 most appealing high streets are:

· Queen Street, Cardiff

· Gloucester’s central shopping streets

· Eastgate Street, Chester

· High Street, Winchester

· High Street, Exeter

· Princes Street, Edinburgh

· High Street, Worcester

· Church Street, Liverpool

· Buchanan Street, Glasgow

· Market Street, Manchester

Dan Edelman, General Manager, UK Merchant Services at American Express, said: “Each of the top locations identified by our research offer exceptional retail experiences blended with choices to socialise and relax. Consumers continue to value our high streets and believe they will remain important well into the future. While there is no one solution to guarantee ongoing success, it’s encouraging to see there are plenty of opportunities for collaboration to help deliver this winning formula.”

Matt Piner, Head of Retail Consulting at GlobalData, added: “With consumer expectations and shopping habits evolving at pace, high streets are having to continuously adapt to stay relevant. The locations getting it right benefit from higher footfall and spend; in fact, our analysis shows millions of pounds of additional consumer spending could be unlocked for a typical high street that delivers on the factors shoppers care most about.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Overall research methodology

GlobalData conducted an online survey during May 2024, with a nationally representative sample size of 2,000 UK consumers, asking people how they feel about their high street, and which factors they feel contribute to a great high street generally. From analysis of this data, GlobalData identified the 15 most influential factors.

High street ranking

A longlist of 25 locations was compiled by dividing the UK into 11 regions and GlobalData’s team of retail consultants conducting an analysis of the leading high streets in each area. High streets considered eligible were those in a city with a definable, primary out of doors shopping street, to ensure fair comparisons could be made. Factors considered included presence of both leading and independent retailers, variety of businesses and proximity of car parks and public transport. For the high streets on this longlist, more extensive desk-based research was then carried out, allowing them to be ranked into an order and providing a ‘top 10’ for the final phase of research.

For these 10 locations, on-site visits were conducted by GlobalData’s consultants to rate them across a broader range of factors, which included aesthetic appeal, vacancy rates and accessibility. Ratings across all of metrics were then weighted for importance by mapping them to 15 key ‘pull factors’ identified in the consumer survey, providing each location a final score and position in the top 10.

AMERICAN EXPRESS

Mike Berry

Mike.Berry2@aexp.com

FIRSTLIGHT

Bev Noble / Conor Nugent

+44 (0) 7856 460 498/ +44 (0) 7855160161

beverley.noble@firstlightgroup.io / conor.nugent@firstlightgroup.io

ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS

American Express is a globally integrated payments company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, instagram.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/company/american-express,twitter.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress.

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