Report

Department stories

This report from UK think tank Power to Change looks at how communities are reimagining a national institution.

Once a destination for generations of shoppers, department stores are on the decline. There’s been an 85% decrease in the number of department stores on Britain’s high streets over the past decade, with many well-known brands leaving our towns for good.

But communities across the country also developing their own solutions to this decline, tackling both high street vacancy and the loss of these important social spaces. They are part of a wider movement of communities taking back their high streets, bringing new life to old buildings to strengthen their communities and keep money circulating in their local economies.

Through case studies and interviews with four community businesses managing department stores and town centre shopping spaces, supplemented by insights from other high street stakeholders, this report explores the opportunities of community reuse of department stores, as well as the challenges entailed in running them for broad community benefit.