Local marketing consultant champions future of UK’s high street
A Solihull-based marketing consultant was invited to speak on a national webinar exploring the future of the UK’s high streets.
Kim Hulse, founder of K Hulse Consulting joined a panel of retail experts, policy specialists and industry leaders.
The event, hosted by Public Policy Exchange and chaired by The Retail Champion Clare Bailey brought together voices from across the retail and policy landscape.
Fellow panellists included Graeme Sharp, who presented on retail crime, Dr Steven Norris and Sean Prigmore of Lambert Smith Hampton, who examined trends in high street redevelopment.
Stephanie Briggs also offered a compelling perspective on the realities of running an independent retail business.
Kim said: "High streets have always been more than retail. Beauty, hospitality, entertainment, events, culture, heritage and healthcare are all reasons people visit.
There are still more sales made in person than placed online, and that shows that High Streets do matter."
Central to Kim's presentation was the role of experience. She said people don't return to a place just because it's convenient - they return because of how it made them feel.
Independent businesses hold a distinct advantage here, offering the character, personality and genuine human connection, said Kim.
Kim also spoke about the power of collaboration and the tangible impact events have on high street performance.
She added: "When businesses collaborate, the benefits aren't just felt by individual traders - the whole high street wins and the combined reach of several businesses promoting the same event far exceeds what any one of them could achieve alone."
Drawing on her experience delivering business support to independent high street businesses, Kim highlighted the practical policy changes that would make a real difference - from faster processing of planning applications for signage, to better information and guidance tailored to the specific challenges business owners face.
At a national level, she pointed to business rates, reduced VAT on hospitality and employment costs as recurring concerns that policy makers cannot afford to ignore.
"We need policies that help businesses flourish rather than constrain their growth. But the high street isn't dying. It has always evolved and it will continue to do so.
We just need policy makers to keep listening to what high street businesses are telling them - and to act on it."
Kim also called for a shift in the wider conversation: "There are plenty of positive stories out there. We need to keep telling them."
