Over the last few months we’ve been seeing a definite change in high street requirements - a shift from retail to more service-based offerings.
As an example, we recently let 20-22 Station Road West in Oxted. The property is an attractive period style building situated in the commercial hub of town which houses a number of specialist retail units and offices and is close to the railway station and parking.
The property had been home to a convenience store for many years, but due to the change in consumer behaviour the business owners had to downsize to a smaller property next door. A service-based operation snapped up the larger vacant building on good commercial terms.
We’ve seen first hand how consumer spending habits have changed since the pandemic and where the world of retail has been forced online.
The high street is no longer presided over by retail outlets, now there’s a hybrid of retail, housing, service and hospitality - where the ‘in-person experience’ is the key proposition.
