Retail strategy needs more than a lick of paint

Urban Ireland faces a conundrum. Its retail landscape is undergoing harsh and dramatic changes that must be met with imagination and innovation if the erosion of activity on shopping streets is to be braked and reversed.

A random walk along any of the main streets in towns and cities around Ireland is a depressing affair. Closed signs and derelict buildings are all too common.

Once enough of these retail shells develop the entire atmosphere on a street or in a town struggles and risks becoming a no-go zone for consumers who want variety, value and enjoyment when they take the time to stroll.