Clicks, Coffee & Community: The Future of the High Street

Send us Fan Mail Special Guests: - Michelle Lucas, Only Dogs Ltd - an award winning Dog grooming business on Lingfield High Street.- Sami Ella Bristow, Blossoms Brunch & Coffee - a thriving community cafe in Godstone adept at navigating the challenges of rising costs & the sinkhole!Plus Roundtable Featuring: Maureen Jones, Micaela Leal, Georgie Lucas, Aga Es, Abigail Chapman-Miller, James Tidy & Magdalena Rahman. Host: Clive Hilton. The high street is not dying because people do not care; it is changing because online convenience, rising costs and shifting habits make old retail models hard to sustain. We hear from local business owners and residents on what is really squeezing independents and what a more service-led, community high street could look like. • rising costs for small businesses, from VAT and wages to commercial utilities and rates • the impact of disruption and access, including road closures and parking pressure • why taking on a shop lease feels like high-stakes risk versus reward • how service businesses like grooming and hospitality keep footfall local • the Amazon effect, price gaps, reviews and the lure of next day delivery • fast fashion, returns culture, waste and sustainability on the high street • what people miss most, from Woolworths to M&S, and what would bring them back • realistic optimism around quality, community spirit and younger generations Do follow us on Spotify. Let us know what you think of these episodes as well and future topics that we should cover. Tell us what do you think? Leave a comment below or click on send a text.Please click on 'Send a text' above & join our Facebook group to share your perspective and suggestions for future topics - Thank you for your interest! Clive.